"Are you sure about this, Hermione?"
When the younger witch nodded her head, Andromeda gave her one last squeeze before releasing her. "As long as you're sure. Then let's get your mind off of it for a while. I believe I mentioned that I have a library. Would you like to see it?"
"Oh, yes." She responded without a moment's hesitation. Andromeda scooped Teddy into her arms, chucking at the mess he had made all over his face. He had a combination of strawberry juice, powdered sugar, and orange juice from his neck to his hairline. The Tonks matriarch held her grandson at arm's length and guffawed. "Just look at you. You cannot go to the library like this, my dear child." She transferred him into her right arm before reaching for her wand with her other hand. She spoke the incantation, eyes focused on his little face. As soon as the spell took effect, he burst into laughter, squealing as the spell washed all food remnants away.
As his laughter died away, she pulled him close to her body and kissed his nose. "Now you can go to the library, my sweet boy." The older woman did not flinch as the child tangled his fingers in her curly locks.
Hermione watched the exchange in wonder. When Andromeda interacted with Teddy, it was almost like the years just fell off her face.
Andromeda led the way to the library. Once inside, Hermione gasped softly as she peered around the expansive room. The library was found on the first floor but extended all the way through the second floor.
Andromeda chuckled and bumped the young girl's shoulder with her own. "The boxes over there are all of my recently inherited books. I have not had the opportunity to go through all of them, but you are more than welcome to help yourself to anything you find interesting. Additionally, the family tomes are primarily found on the east wall, but there are a few that cross over well enough with other topics that they might be found elsewhere."
It took all of Hermione's willpower to keep herself standing next to Andromeda. Every piece of her body wanted to lose itself in a book. She scanned the room again as she inhaled through her nose. "I love the smell of books."
The older woman took a moment to mimic Hermione's inhalation before chucking. "It just reminds me of hours spent studying." She placed Teddy on a quilt in the center of the room before sitting on a couch nearby. "I had to study to retain any information in school. I spent more time than I'd like to admit with my nose in a book. It was the only way the information would stick. Cissy was the same way, but not Bella. She remembered everything without even trying."
Andromeda noticed her slip too late as the room grew silent around them. She looked toward Hermione, only to find her staring intently at the shelf in front of her. "Hermione..." Andromeda contemplated going to the girl in an attempt to comfort her but decided better of it.
Hermione forced herself to read the spines of books in front of her face in order to remain calm. The mere mention of Bellatrix Lestrange was nearly enough to send her into a panic, but she was doing her best to avoid that situation. She just needed to remain calm. Hermione took a deep breath and exhaled at a painstakingly slow speed. "I have never needed to study to retain information, but I do anyway. I want the information so firmly rooted in my brain that no one and nothing can uproot it." Although she had always possessed a passion for learning, her determination only grew when she learned of magic.
"It is no surprise that they call you the brightest witch of your age."
Hermione turned at the sound of her voice. "And why is that, Andy?"
The witch in question smiled and pulled her socked feet up onto the couch. "You don't need to study, but you do because you value the information. You will not forget the information as soon as the test is done. That information is yours to keep for as long as you would like. Additionally, I would assume that with a greater possession of knowledge comes a greater capacity to learn new information, making you the brightest witch of your age by leaps and bounds."
Hermione squinted at the older witch for a moment before nodding. "Thank you. I suppose I will see about doing some light reading. When do you expect we should prepare to leave the premises?"
"Well, that is a great question considering that Harry did not give us a start time for dinner, but I would assume that dinner will begin around half past five or six. Did you want to arrive before dinner to greet everyone?" Andromeda typically attempted to show up early so that Teddy would have time to play with everyone before dinner, but she would play by Hermione's rules tonight. Whatever she wanted to do, they would do.
Hermione pretended not to hear her as her mind whirled in consideration. She picked up a tome, titled, Druella's Recipes for a Quick-Fix. As she flipped it open, it did not appear to be recipes for any sort of ailment Hermione could imagine. All of the potions contained ingredients that most wizards would not approve of using, especially in everyday potions. Hermione shuddered as she peered at a particularly grotesque picture of a disemboweled animal. Hermione could not quite determine the nature of the animal from the crude drawing. Snapping the book shut, she met the older woman's gaze again and stuttered, "I, well, I hate being late. Maybe we should get there a little bit early so that I can say hello to everyone." She mindlessly thumped the book against the palm of her hand.
"Okay, let's be ready to leave around half past four then. That should give us plenty of time to perform greetings prior to the meal." Andromeda's gaze fell to the book in Hermione's hand and she recognized the particular book immediately. "That is not exactly for the faint of heart, Hermione."
Hermione glanced at the book again and chuckled, "Ah, yes. I noticed that." She read the cover again and ran her finger across the name of the book. "Druella. That was your mother's name, was it not?"
Andromeda cleared her throat, slightly uncomfortable with the way that the conversation was going. "Yes. My mother felt that there were magical solutions for everything and everyone, some less humane than others." She stood and picked up a cooing Teddy. "I think I will put him down for a nap. He will need one in order to handle all of the cacophony tonight."
Hermione accepted Andromeda's answer without further question. It was obvious that Andy was not appreciative of her mother's use of magic in those circumstances. The subject was not worth pursuing at this time. She turned back to the stacks as Andromeda left the room with Teddy. After selecting a few, she collapsed onto the couch and began immersing herself in Black family knowledge.
The grandmother clock on the wall chimed four times, and Hermione stretched her achy back. She supposed it was time to get ready to go to the Burrow. Back in Nymph's bedroom, she dug through her rucksack and found robes that would be suitable for the evening's activities. The under layer consisted of loose fitting silk bottoms that Hermione felt resembled fancy pajama pants. The outer layer was a floor length grey robe with maroon accents. It was not as loose as her school robes and hung quite close to her body. It would be difficult for everyone to notice how thin she had gotten in that outfit. She released her hair from the pony tail at the base of her skull and cast a quick spell on it in hopes of taming the beast.
When she felt like she looked acceptable to be seen in public, she descended the stairs and found the den empty. She started a fire in the floo while she waited for Andromeda.
A few minutes later, Andromeda entered the now warm room with Teddy in her arms. "Look how cute he looks in this outfit. I know it's just a muggle onesie and pants, but I cannot get over how adorable he is." She hugged him close before planting a loud kiss on the top of his head. "Shall we go then?"
Hermione stood but felt a wave of panic wash over her as she stared at the floo. "I don't know if I can do this anymore." She glanced between the floo and Andromeda, her eyes rapidly shifting between the two. "Andy, what if they are mad? They should be mad. I disappeared. I hurt them. Andy, what do I do?"
Andromeda recognized the imminent panic attack and swooped in, wrapping the girl in the arm that was not cradling her grandson. "You will be just fine. They might be hurt, and they might not understand, but they love you, Hermione. They will just be overjoyed to see you." She gave the girl a light squeeze before stepping back. "Plus, no one will stop you if you need to leave. I'll be sure of that."
Hermione nodded resolutely and sniffled, trying to keep her tears at bay. "You're right. Okay." She shook her hands at her side and fingered the holster on her wrist. "Okay. I got this." She looked back toward the floo and let out a long exhale. "Will you go first so that you'll already be there when I floo in?"
"Of course." She wrapped her cloak around Teddy's small frame before stepping into the flames. As she tossed the floo powder in the fire, she called out, "The Burrow."
The older witch disappeared in a gust of flames, and Hermione took a hesitant step forward. It was a huge step. It felt as if her entire body had been filled with granite. Now that she was alone, her composure began to waver. She forced herself to take another step and grasp the floo powder in her hands. As she finally stepped into the floo, she noticed that her entire body was shaking. A small amount of floo powder fell from her hands as she continued to postpone her departure. She exhaled one more time before forcing herself to release the floo powder. "The Burrow."
Soot surrounded her as she was pulled through the floo network, and she did her best to keep her mouth and eyes completely closed. She felt her momentum slow as she approached her destination and prepared herself to exit.
When her feet hit solid ground again, the powder around her stopped swirling. She took the necessary steps to leave the fireplace and slowly opened her eyes. All of her senses were assaulted with the very essence of the Weasley family. She could hear George and Ron bickering in an upstairs room, Ginny complaining ostensibly to her mother about the amount of chopping she had to do, and Harry fawning over Teddy for the second time that day. She could smell fresh bread in the oven, along with the harmonious scents of whatever Molly Weasley was making for dinner. The entire house was warm and filled with happy energy that warmed Hermione's senses. It was like being deprived of your favorite meal for years and then suddenly having the opportunity to eat it again. It was pure bliss for that one moment as she observed everyone from the seclusion of the living room. She could hear everyone, but no one had noticed her yet except for Andromeda, who had glanced back at her with a wink.
"Arthur, is that you? You're home early!" Molly Weasley marched into the living room in hopes of seeing her husband but stopped short. Her eyes grew wide, and she gasped. It was as if the entire house grew silent with the Weasley matriarch's realization. The silence was finally broken by Molly's whisper, "Hermione. Oh, gods, is that really you?" She wiped at her eyes, which were already leaking tears, before nodding to herself and closing the distance between the pair and elevating her volume. "Oh, Hermione. You are safe. You are okay." She surrounded the young woman with her warmth before pulling back to look at her. In that moment of separation, Hermione noticed that the entire Weasley clan had crammed into the doorway of the living room, staring at the reunion. "I cannot believe that you are here." She touched one of Hermione's curls, almost seeming to need further reassurance that she was real before standing straight again. "Well, come on then. Ginny and Fleur could use help preparing the vegetables, and we have so much to discuss."
Before Hermione could process what was happening, the Weasley matriarch was pushing through the doorway and leading her into the kitchen. As they passed the other Weasleys, the air was met with a cacophony of voices, all asking questions and greeting Hermione. The noise was overwhelming. In the kitchen, there were two abandoned cutting boards. Molly conjured another with a mere flick of her wand and set Hermione up between the other two witches before turning to everyone else. "Questions can wait until dinner is prepared. Ginny and Fleur, come back in here. Everyone else, find something to do." When the four witches were alone, Hermione released a breath she didn't know she had been holding.
The two younger witches looked from her to Molly before deciding that the vegetables could wait another few moments. Ginny embraced Hermione, and Hermione was immediately met with the smell of citrus that had clung to Teddy the day before. "It is so good to see you, 'Mione."
As she stepped back, the blonde French woman stepped in. "Ginny is right. Vee all missed you very much."
Hermione did not have the best history with the woman, but their time at Shell Cottage had brought them much closer. It was the part-Veela, after all, who nursed Hermione's initial wounds after her torture at the Malfoy Manor. "And I missed you, Fleur. And you, Ginny. It has been a rough couple of months."
The Weasley matriarch studied their interactions intently before clapping her hands. "Alright, let's talk and chop. If you can't multitask, then the talking can wait until after the meal is prepared.
As they sat down to prepare the meal, Ginny filled everyone in on her studies. She was not fond of the new Defense Against the Arts instructor, but that was just because he was young and cocky. He thought he knew more than some of the students who had fought in the war, and Ginny found that to be offensive, so she did everything in her power to perform above him. She had perfect marks in the class, but she also had a list of disciplinary actions as long as her arm. "He's a real git. Bloody Frenchmen." She huffed and vigorously chopped the carrots in front of her.
"Hey, now. Not all of us are like that, ma Cherie," Quipped Fleur from the opposite side of Hermione. Gesturing with her knife, she continued. "Just because he is a right git does not make the rest of the French bad humans."
Although Fleur's accent had faded ever-so-slightly, Hermione still chuckled at the way that it sounded when the dignified French woman said the word "git."
"And you? What do you find so comical?" The French woman attempted to keep a straight face as she stared at the curly-haired woman, but her eyes were filled with mirth. She was just so happy to have the young woman back.
"Nothing, Fleur. I just would not have imagined you speaking of anyone the way you just did, and you have never even met the 'right git.' " Again, Hermione laughed and had to take a moment away from cutting her vegetables to catch her breath.
"Well, speaking about him is more exciting than talking about my work. I just deal with goblins all day." She shook her head. "They make anyone want to curse, rather than curse break." The part-Veela laughed at her own joke but was met with silence from the other two witches. "Vat? It was funny." Still, both women just stared at the blonde, which caused her to huff. "You two are no fun."
Just then, the floo activated in the other room again. This time, the newcomer hollered, "Family, I'm home." Arthur, with his jolly presence, sauntered into the room and gave his wife a quick peck on the lips. When he turned to the other witches in the room, whatever he was prepared to say died on his lips. He stared for a single heartbeat before, "Blimey, Hermione, is that really you?"
The witch in question merely nodded and met the patriarch's gaze.
"Well, this really is perfect then. We have everyone here for dinner." Without any further conversation, the older gentleman left the room to find the rest of his children.
Hermione was slightly surprised by his minimalist reaction. It was actually quite refreshing.
When all of the vegetables had been cut, Molly confiscated them and shooed the witches out of the kitchen. "Fifteen minutes and dinner will be ready. Spread the word."
The three exited the kitchen, and Fleur split off from the group in hopes of finding Bill. Last she had heard, he had stepped outside. It was getting close to the full moon, and he was having trouble with minor bouts of aggression. Being in a confined space only elevated those feelings.
As soon as Ginny and Hermione were alone, Ron came striding up to the pair. He only looked at Hermione. "You break up with me and just disappear? No explanation? You didn't even tell anyone that you were okay. You just left."
Ginny started to intervene, but Ron turned to her for the briefest moment. "Ginny, this is not your conversation. Scram." While the red headed woman did not leave Hermione's side, neither did she speak further in that moment. "Hermione, you didn't even give us a chance."
Hermione sighed. She knew this was coming, but she didn't think he would be quite so angry. "I did give you an explanation, Ron. I'm sorry, but I just don't have feelings like that for you. I know we shared a moment in the dungeons, but I just don't feel the way that you obviously feel."
He shook his head, not willing to accept her answer. "You didn't even give us a chance. Plus, you used to be mad when Lav and I hooked up. You felt something." He jabbed his finger at her chest, and Ginny took a step closer. She was still silent, but she was ready to put her body in between them if necessary.
"I was jealous because neither of my friends were giving me the time of day. You spent all of your time with Lavender. Harry spent all of his time with Dumbledore, and nobody spent time with me. It had nothing to do with feelings except for the fact that I was feeling alone, and I missed my best friend. I still miss my best friend, Ron." She looked up at the ceiling but caught sight of someone watching them in the background. Andromeda stood at the end of the hallway, speaking with Arthur Weasley. She appeared to be engrossed in their conversation, but Hermione noticed that her eyes would occasionally flit towards the trio. It steeled Hermione's nerves. "I don't owe you an explanation, Ronald. Not for our lack of relationship and not for my disappearance. I did what was best for me. Accept that or don't."
Ron's composure faltered as he watched the woman in front of him practically transform. "I didn't mean. 'Mione. You know that I would never." He trailed off, not really sure what he was even trying to say. "I miss you, too, 'Mione, but you're different now." Her eyes lacked the sparkle that they once held, and just looking into her eyes reminded him of the war. He shuddered at the thought before stumbling through his next sentence. "I guess... Well, I'm glad you're back. You...you look good." It was a lie, and he knew it. He didn't like looking at her right now, but it was the best thing he could come up with in the moment.
Ginny finally stepped on her older brother's foot. "Blimey, Ron, do you have to be such a git? It's not like you cared that much anyway. You're hooking up with that one receptionist girl at the ministry. What was her name again?"
The ginger boy's face grew hot at his sister's insinuation. "What? Her name? Uh...We're not..." He looked from Hermione to Ginny a few times before nodding. "It's just a few dates." He shrugged, trying to play it off. "It might not even go anywhere." His blush told a different story.
Finally, Hermione's smile was genuine. "I am glad that you are seeing someone, Ronald. I wish you both the best." She touched his arm and continued into the living room where she sat on the nearest piece of furniture.
She could see Fleur and Bill talking outside of the window. Bill looked tense but happy. Hermione could not imagine the way it must feel to have a piece of you that wants to be something that it is not. That tiny touch of lycanthropy probably felt like a tease to his body. It was not the real thing, but it was not entirely human either. It had to be torture on his body.
Ginny had not followed her into the living room but had actually gone upstairs, presumably to locate her boyfriend. Hermione sighed and tried to maintain a smile on her face. It had been an overwhelming day, and dinner had not even begun. She closed her eyes for just a moment when a weight settled next to her on the couch. A hand brushed her hair away from her face, and she forced her eyes to open.
"Hey. You okay?" Andromeda reached down and squeezed Hermione's hand.
Hermione nodded and focused on Andromeda's hand. "Why have you been so good to me?"
Andromeda cocked her head to one side and stared at Hermione. "So good? What do you mean?"
Huffing, Hermione rolled her eyes in an uncharacteristically childish fashion. "I mean, you have allowed me to stay at your home when you barely know me. You have been watching out for me while we've been here. You kept my secret until I was ready to share it. You allowed me to have access to the Black family tomes. These are not things that most people would do."
Andromeda nodded, finally acquiescing to Hermione's point. "Maybe not most people, but my daughter would have done any of it in a heartbeat. You were one of her best friends, and now you need someone. You were alone. You have no way of contacting your parents. You are hurting, and I can't help but feel partially at fault since my sister caused you much of your pain."
"Nymph definitely would have done the same thing. She's the first person I told..." She trailed off, not really wanting to get into that right that second.
But Andromeda's curiosity piqued. "Told her what? Is this something I should know?"
Hermione shook her head, blushing slightly at her near slip. "No, at least not at the moment. It's not important." What was important to Hermione in that moment was the fact that she needed to know that Andromeda was invested. "Andy, do you only care for me because I'm your daughter's friend?"
Andromeda agreed to drop the subject for the moment but was shocked by the vulnerability she found in Hermione's eyes only moments later. She pulled Hermione close and kissed her temple. "No, dear child. I do not only care for you because you are my daughter's friend. I care for you because you are you, Hermione. It likely did begin that way, but you have wormed your way into my heart. You are important all on your own."
Hermione nodded, not pulling away from the older woman's embrace. "But when I'm okay again, will you stop caring for me just because I don't actually need you any longer?"
Andromeda's breath caught in her throat as she held the younger woman close. "That is a great question, Hermione. I can tell you that I will not stop caring for you. I might stop hovering as much, but the care will still be there. Now, I have a question for you. When you stop needing me, will you stop coming around?"
Hermione did not expect for her vulnerability to be answered with vulnerability. She finally pulled out of Andromeda's grip so that she could focus on the witch's face. "Do you want me to?" She was still scared that she was a bother to the older witch, regardless of her guarantees otherwise.
Andromeda laughed. "Of course, I do. Bloody hell, Hermione. I would be fine if you moved in. I am here for you." And a small part of Andy reminded herself that she probably needed Hermione, as well. She was filling a gaping hole in her life. While she could never replace her daughter, it was a comfort to have someone to love in the same fashion, especially when that someone had been loved by her daughter. Andromeda honestly believed that they were good for each other. They had found each other for a reason. She was sure of that.
Hermione tugged her hand out of Andromeda's for a moment as she openly stared at the witch. "Wait. What did you just say?"
Before the older witch could confirm what she had said, the Weasley matriarch called out, "Dinner is ready. Everyone, get in here."
The pair got up, and Hermione immediately turned to leave, but Andromeda halted her progress for a moment. "To be continued, okay?"
She was met with a nod, so the pair made their way into the crowded kitchen.
There was copious amounts of shuffling and bumping into one another as everyone filled their bowls and found their way to a seat. Molly had made a pot of stew, salads, and homemade bread. She also appeared to still have a dish in the oven, which Hermione assumed was dessert.
When everyone was finally seated, Molly urged everyone to dig in. Hermione was sandwiched between Andromeda and Fleur, so neither of them were pestering her to join into conversation too much. They were both sucked into their own conversations, so Hermione had a moment where she did not have to come up with anything to say. She could just listen.
As most of the kitchen's inhabitants were finishing their salads, Harry suddenly stood. The kitchen grew silent as he cleared his throat. "So, um, obviously everyone knows that I asked for everyone to be here today." He cleared his throat again, and toyed with the edge of his collar. Suddenly, he was very nervous.
Ginny placed her hand in his and squeezed it. The action did not go unnoticed by a single eye in the room.
"You see, Ginny and I," He gently tugged on the woman's arm and urged her to her feet. "We have an announcement to make."
"You're pregnant, aren't you?" George hollered and was consumed by laughter.
The Weasley matriarch gasped as she looked between her prankster son and the pair that were standing. "Is it true?" No one could tell if she was hopeful or fearful.
Harry's wide-eyed expression was not a comfort to anyone.
Ginny patted his hand and shook her head. "No, we're not pregnant, but..." She trailed off as she grabbed her wand so that she cast a spell to remove the glamour on her body. "We are engaged." She thrust her hand into the center of the table so everyone could see the ring that gleamed on her finger.
The announcement was met with cheers and crying, primarily from the older Weasley woman. Arthur thumped Harry on the back and congratulated him. Hermione was stunned. She would be lying if she said she was surprised by the news that Harry had proposed to Ginny. What surprised her was the fact that he didn't talk to her beforehand. Of course, she had been absent from his life for months, so he had no opportunity to talk to her. Even knowing that it was her own damn fault, it still hurt. He and Ronald had completely moved on with their lives while Hermione was gone. She knew it wasn't their fault. She couldn't really blame them, but she was hurt. Her heart ached for the moments that she had undoubtedly missed.
Finally, a voice was heard above the rest. "So, 'ow did he do it?" The French woman, as well as everyone else, was dying to know.
Ginny looked at her fiancé and grinned. "Do you want me to tell them, or do you want to?"
Harry just shook his head and gestured for her to take over. The pair finally found their seats again before Ginny began to tell the story. "So, Harry had arranged to come see me at Hogsmeade yesterday. He ended up having Teddy with him, so apparently, he decided it would be the perfect time to ask."
"How could she say no to a face like that?" Harry interjected.
"Anyway," She shot the brunette a scorching look before continuing. "He showed up with Teddy bundled up and asked me to hold him while he ordered us food. Of course, I said yes because..."
"You just couldn't say no to that face." This time, the interjection was from George, but everyone laughed.
Ginny even chuckled. "Yes, I cannot tell that little monster no. As I took him out of his coat, I noticed that his shirt said something, so I took the time to read it. It said, 'Will you be my god-mommy?'"
A chorus of 'Awwe's erupted, and Ginny had to pause to let the moment pass. "As we have already been over this, I couldn't tell him no. When I looked up to find Harry, he had come back with more than just our food. He also had the ring, and he asked me right there. I guess Teddy takes after his godfather because I couldn't say no to his face either." Ginny leaned over and kissed her fiancé, pleased with how the announcement had gone.
Molly clutched at her chest, George gagged, and Hermione couldn't help but smile. Harry had done well.
The conversation quickly turned to talk of a wedding, but the pair refused to commit to any details except that they would wait to get married until after Ginny finished her schooling at Hogwarts.
Hermione avoided any conversations that focused on herself, quantifying her time away as soul-searching. Most of the other questions she deflected or changed the subject. Andromeda was also helpful, always capable of making any conversation about Teddy.
It was not long after dinner that Hermione had decided she needed to go home. It had been a nice evening, but she had surpassed the stage of experiencing sensory overload. Now she was just done. She did not want to talk to anyone or hug anyone or try to avoid anyone's questions or even their questioning looks. She kept glancing toward the living room, trying to decide how best to make her exit.
She did not have to consider it for very long, however. Andromeda stood after a few more minutes and excused herself. "I think I should get home so I can get this little man to bed. He had had quite an exciting day." She paused next to Ginny and Harry, where they sat holding hands. "Congratulations, you two. Thank you for involving Teddy." She squeezed Harry's shoulder before looking pointedly at Hermione. "Well, aren't you coming?"
Hermione immediately got up and stood by Andromeda's side. The pair was met with quite a few confused looks. Before any questions were vocalized, Andromeda stepped in again. "Hermione is staying with me for now. She is helping me take care of Teddy." She left it at that, and her tone left no room for questions. With that, the pair said their goodbyes, collected Teddy, and flooed back to the Tonks residence.