What happened afterward

*Notes* Wow time does seem to not like me lately. Oh well. I am back at school so the workload has gone back up which means the chapters will be coming but more slowly. SO SORRY!! But I tried to convince my professors to ease up and they just don't seem to want to listen. Until next time….Enjoy.

Harry noticed the quiet of the room; it was almost an abnormal sound. Ever since Charisma had been born their need for sleep had become a thing of the past. It was now an obsession. Yet as he lay in his bed, cradling Hermione as she slept, he was wide awake. Carefully he crawled out of bed and made his way over to other side of the room.

“Hey,” he sat down in the rocking chair beside Charisma's crib. “How come every time you are sleeping I'm awake? I guess I just need to make sure that this is real.” Harry gently scooped her up into his arms and was surprised that he didn't wake her. She, instead, snuggled closer to his body. “So, er, my name is Harry Potter and I'm your daddy. But I guess you already knew that. Listen, my angel, if you ever need anything don't hesitate to ask, that is what I'm here for. I will do anything for you, anything.”

Hermione heard Harry's voice in her dream, but it sounded distant. She rolled over expecting to find his body there but instead she found air and a mattress. Frantically she felt around on his side of the bed, he wasn't there. “Harry,” her voice called out in a whisper.

“I'm right here, Hermione.” He responded. Hermione knew the sound of his voice was coming from the baby area. She immediately sat up and listened for the cries of Charisma. When she was sure she heard none she looked toward the crib.

There Harry sat, rocking back and forth, holding their daughter. It was such a picture perfect moment; there he sat in his boxers and socks bathed in moonlight just enjoying his daughter.

“You should be in bed sleeping.” She got up and pulled on her white silk robe. “Did she start to cry?”

“No, I just couldn't sleep. Sometimes I can't believe any of this has really happened. I start thinking that it is all a dream. And then I see you and Charisma and I know that no dream is this real.” Harry said in a hushed tone. “Hermione I made her a promise.”

“A promise?” Hermione was a little perplexed as to what he could actually promise to someone who could barely understand him and not even talk.

“Yes, I promised her that I would do anything I could to protect her and to make sure she was happy.” Harry's gazed was focused on the little baby sleeping in his arms. Gently he sat her down in her crib.

Hermione quickly pulled him into a hug, “Harry you could promise her the moon and she would still not need it. That girl is going to be so loved she won't no what to do with all of it. Now, lets get some sleep.” They once again turned in for the night.

“Harry…” Harry heard his name being whispered and he felt hot breath on his neck. He let out a groan before opening his eyes a fraction. Quickly he grabbed Hermione and started tickling her, her laughter was music to his ears. “Harry…Oh god…Stop.” She said in between shrieks of laughter.

He stopped and grabbed his glasses off the bedside table. “Now what was so important that you had to wake me up?” He asked as he kissed his way down her neck. Hermione could feel her eyes rolling back and she was trying so hard to focus on the situation at hand.

“Well,” she pushed him off and sat up. “It's Christmas Eve and I think we should finally introduce Charisma to the castle. You know without the hustle and bustle.” Hermione put on her robe and walked to the bathroom door. “I'm going to take a shower. She has already been fed. You have the task of getting her ready for the day.” With her final words she closed the door and Harry set about his task.

“It's just you and me, once again.” Harry held up a pink soft top and its matching pants. “I like this outfit, what do you think?” She gurgled up at him. “Oh you like it too, good.” Harry scooped her up and started to dance around the room. He was humming a song he had just made up and this was how Hermione found them.

“You call that getting her dressed?” She questioned him as she came back into the room wearing a pair of jeans and a fuzzy sweater. Harry quickly turned and put Charisma down; with a quick flick of his wand Charisma was dressed and ready. “Harry,” she let out a sigh. “I thought we agreed to not take the easy way out.”

Harry wasn't listening to her. Hermione suddenly found herself wrapped up in Harry's tight embrace. She put her head on his shoulder as they twirled around the room. As he slowly stopped humming she founded herself being put into a dip. “Don't think you can get out of trouble…” She was cut off by Harry's lips.

“Now what do we need for this trip?” Harry asked as he pulled her up from the dip. Hermione had a goofy smile on her face, “Hermione?” He asked seeing the look on her face.

“Damn you, Harry Potter.” She said as she snapped out of that state of mind. They finished packing up the baby bag a few minutes later and were out the door before either could say, Quidditch.

“So what exactly did you have in mind?”

“I just want to get her use to the different areas in the castle that she will be spending some time in.” She noticed the look Harry was giving her and rolled her eyes. “For instance we can't have all our meals delivered to our room like we have been doing. So she needs to get adjusted to the atmosphere of the Great Hall.”

“Er…Hermione incase you didn't notice the castle is practically empty. We and two second year Ravenclaws are the only ones staying for the holidays.” Hermione nodded at his words and smiled a little secretive smile. “You know something I don't know.” He actually sounded surprised at that revelation.

“Harry, I know a lot more than you do.” She said as they approached the doors of the Great Hall. Hermione entered before him and didn't seem stunned at all by the scene that met their eyes.

There in the Great Hall, at the Gryffindor table, sat the entire Weasley family. Along with them were the two Ravenclaws, the Hogwarts staff, Remus, and Tonks. The hall as always was decorated in true Christmas fashion: mistletoe, Christmas trees, and garland.

“What are you doing here?” He asked as he sat down next to Hermione. She grinned up at him and handed him Charisma as she un-shrunk the carriage.

“Well you didn't think we would leave you two here by yourselves, did you?” Ron said. He was loading eggs onto his plate. “Plus the house elves really do make a fantastic Christmas lunch.”

“So this is what you meant. You had the Weasleys, the entire family, come and make noise.” Harry looked at everyone and smiled. He was happy that Hermione did this. It wouldn't have been Christmas without his family.

“Your welcome,” she leaned into him and rested her head on his shoulder. Hermione took in the scene that was around her. Harry and Ron got into a discussion about the Cannons, Ginny was talking adamantly to Dumbledore about phoenixes, the twins were teasing their mother who was laughing at the antics, Arthur was talking to his two oldest sons Bill and Charlie about something, Remus and Tonks were just relaxing, and various other people were chattering.

Breakfast quickly faded into lunch and the only difference was that people came and went, but Harry and Hermione stayed. As lunch ended Hagrid came over and sat down next to them. Harry and Ron were in the middle of a chess game and Hermione had her noise buried in a book. Her foot, though, was moving the carriage, that held Charisma, back and forth.

“Hello Hagrid,” she smiled up at the half-giant. Ron and Harry both mumbled their hellos as Ron's knight took out one of Harry's rooks. “I don't even know why he tries,” she told Hagrid. “Ron is going to beat him anyway.” And true to her words twenty minutes later Ron said checkmate.

“Well Harry this little one is all yours, I have to go to the library for a little research.” Both boys grimaced at the words library and research. Hermione kissed Harry and left the Great hall. She quickly came rushing back, “And don't you dare take her outside, the dungeons, or any place dangerous. You know what if you go anywhere take Molly with you.”

Harry stood up and wrapped her up in a hug. He kissed her forehead, “don't worry, I promise not to go looking for trouble.” She smiled at him and bite her tongue before she could voice her thoughts. Once again she exited the Great Hall.

Hermione walked the familiar halls to the library. She smiled to herself as she entered the hallowed room that contained hundreds of books. As a seventh year she now had free access to any book in the library. With a quick nod to Madam Pince she made her way to the corner of the library that shelved the books on motherhood. She quickly found herself surrounded by books as she started doing her research.

“Anything interesting?” an aged voice asked her. She jumped; the sound of someone speaking was not readily heard in the library.

“Professor Dumbledore?” She started shifting the columns of books around in order to see him. After shifting about three stacks she finally saw his blue twinkling eyes.

“Knowledge is a great thing but too much can make you go crazy. And that is from the horse's mouth.” Hermione wasn't even going to go into that one she was too stunned that Albus Dumbledore knew such a phrase.

“I'm afraid.” As soon as she said those two little words she felt sick. “Oh god, why did I even ask the sorting hat to put me in Gryffindor? More importantly why did it go along with my request?”

“It is our choices that shape us. I once told that to a student who is very much like you.” The twinkle in his eyes grew and he grabbed Hermione's hand.

“I just don't know what to do. I was perfectly fine until I saw Charisma and then I started having all these doubts. What if I'm not a good mother or if I fail her? And Harry is just so comfortable around her. Every time I hear her cry something grips my heart.” Hermione let out a sigh. “I've done a good job at hiding it but I need to know what is wrong with me. Do I not love my daughter? Is that it?”

“You know who I think you need to talk to?” He asked her and she shook her head, “Molly.”

Hermione quietly checked in the Great Hall and saw Lupin and Harry talking. Lupin was holding Charisma and obviously telling a story about something funny. Molly, though, was not in the Great Hall. She took one last glance at Harry and pursed her search for some motherly guidance.

“Come in,” Hermione heard the voice of Molly Weasley as she knocked on the door of the portrait of Merlin. She took a depth breath and walked into the room. “Hermione,” Molly actually sounded surprised to see the girl there as she came out of the min kitchen.

“Hi, Mrs. Weasley,” that was all it took for Hermione to break down into tears. Molly immediately rushed to her side and embraced her in a hug. While she was hugging her she led her to the couch.

Hermione finally felt the damn come trickling to a stop and she started to sniffle. Molly was smoothing back her hair and holding her close. This, she thought, this is what I need, the comfort of a mother.

Light clinking noises could be heard coming from another room. Hermione pushed herself up and the blanket that was tucked in around her fell down to her waist. It was only than that she realized she had fallen asleep. Silently she got up, pulled the blanket around her shoulders, and walked into the room where the clinking noises could be heard.

“Mrs. Weasley, how long was I asleep?” she stumbled into the min kitchen and sat down. The motherly patron handed her a steaming cup of tea which Hermione gratefully took.

“Just a couple of hours,” she saw the look on Hermione's face and said, “don't worry about it dear. You obviously needed the sleep, but all new mothers do. Now what can I do for you?”

“Oh, Mrs. Weasley, I can't ask you for anything more than you've already given me.” Hermione sipped her tea as her eyes looked at the women across the table from her. There was something about the look on Molly's face that reminded her of her own mother, it was right than and there that Hermione wished she was there.

“Hermione you need to talk about it. I remember when the twins were born and I just about lost it. Who-know-who was at his highest and my brothers were fighting with the Order. God was I scared, and than one day it just snapped. The twins would not stop crying, Bill and Charlie were not helping, and Percy well he was too little to help. I felt the frustration building inside of me and all of the sudden I opened my eyes to find that everything in the room had stopped. I had literally frozen time.”

Molly met the young ladies eyes and smiled at the reaction she was getting. “It was than that I started keeping a journal and once a week I would take two hours for myself and go down to the muggle cinema and watch a muggle movie. Arthur was in total charge of the kids, he knew I needed the break, and he gladly gave it to me. Now what has you so beat up?”

Hermione took a deep breath and dived in to her problem. “I don't think I can do this. I've never failed at anything and I keep having these feelings like I am going to. And Harry is so good with her. Just taking one look and you know he is at home being a father, but I, I, get so scared. Especially when she starts crying, I just start thinking this is it, something bad is going to happen. Cause nothing ever stays good in our lives for very long.”

Molly couldn't help it she started laughing. Hermione frowned at the older lady; there was nothing funny about this situation. “I'm sorry, Hermione, dear. It's just that every new mother has these feelings. And the usually come when the baby has come out of the womb. You know that now she is exposed to the world we live in and you can't protect her from everything. You hurt to hear her cry because you don't want her to be upset. And as for Harry being better at the parenting thing than you, just wait until puberty hits and he will be a bumbling idiot.”

Hermione suddenly started picturing Harry talking to a twelve year old Charisma in her room at twelve Grimmauld place. She had black, curly kind of messy, hair, big brown eyes, books all over the floor, and Quidditch posters all over the walls. As Harry kept talking he kept fumbling for the words and Hermione couldn't help but laugh at the picture her mind had created.

“So this is nothing to worry about? I just need to reconnect with my daughter.” Hermione finally began to understand that mothering was not going to be easy.

“You don't need to reconnect you just need to trust those instincts. They are usually dead on and as for worrying…Well all I can tell you is that really never goes away.”

Hermione found herself humming as she walked down to the Great Hall. She had left the Weasley's quarters to go find Harry and Charisma, and she knew exactly where they would be. She for once in was truly thankful that Ginny had, as a joke, gotten her the breast pump as a baby shower gift. For she for once wasn't afraid of Charisma screaming for her meals because she had packed the baby bag with bottles and anything else Harry might need. It was in her musing that she didn't notice that she had arrived at the Great Hall and was jolted out of her thoughts by Harry's laughter.

Smiling she walked up to the table and wrapped her arms around his neck. He grabbed her hands and pulled her down to his level. Before she could even begin to react to the fact that the Great Hall was not a place where you show affection she lost herself in that kiss. Hermione was pretty sure that she now wore an expression that could only be described as goofy happy.

“Well this is a sight for sore eyes. It seems the third member of the brave brigade is back. How disappointing, and look she brought the little runt along too.”