Unofficial Portkey Archive

She watched her daughter sit by the window again for the umpteenth day in a row, waiting for that snowy owl to come and drop a letter for her. She watched her heave a heavy sigh and curl her knees up to her chest, resting her head on her knees as she waited and she felt her heart break a little more.

"Hermione. . ."

"No," she heard before she even got to finish her sentence. "I'm waiting for Hedwig," the girl said quietly. The exchange took place with out her ever looking away from the window. She sighed and turned, leaving the sitting room and headed for the study. This boy, this Harry Potter that her and her husband had never met must be quite the boy, she decided. He had kept Hermione away from books for most of the summer and she now lived and breathed for his letters. Hermione would get one and cry whenever she read it and then she would be fine for about a week or when ever he promised to write again by. She didn't have this reaction to Ron's letters and they were even fewer and farther between than Harry's were.

Her and her husband had a vague idea of what was transpiring in their daughter's world. Things were getting dangerous, their governing body seemed to be falling to the dark side of the political spectrum and prejudices towards the muggle borns were growing. The last one worried her the most.

She turned when she heard the familiar tapping at the window and watched Hermione uncurl herself and open the window, offering an arm to Hedwig to perch on before heading up to her room, the letter clutched in her hand like it was gold.

There was something about the boy that owned that owl. She wanted to say love, but Hermione was far too young for that, only 16. She couldn't possibly understand what it was to be in love. She shook her head and closed the window before heading back to the study.

***

She squinted at the clock later that night after passing Hermione's room and seeing the light still on. It was far too late for her to still be up and she headed in to tell her so. She paused and observed for a moment, a little surprised to see Hedwig sitting calmly on top of one of the bookshelves and Hermione asleep, still dressed, on top of the covers. As she went to open the window for the owl, to see if she'd leave, she noticed the letter on the desk.

Hermione never left the letters out in the open after she had read them. Curiosity got the better of her and she picked it up, sitting in the chair at the desk.

Dear Hermione, it read. Friendly enough, she decided.

Things are going well. A little harder than I expected, but worth it. Snape is still a pain in the ass, I wish I could just hex him or something, but I suppose that would be a little counter productive. Occlumency is going well, you'll be happy to hear I haven't had a nightmare in weeks. He is getting stronger though; there are flashes. . . images I can't quite place. She paused and wondered whom this 'he' was that Harry was talking about. Ron said you'll be at the Burrow later this summer. I wish I could join you, but being the saviour of the world isn't exactly something you can walk away from. Saviour of the world? she wondered. She felt the pit of her stomach drop. What on earth was this boy dragging her baby into?? I really wish you were here, Hermione, I could really use some help. She squinted at the next part; the ink had smeared. If she had gotten the letter a little sooner, she would have realized it was a tearstain. I'm not at the point of needed those colour coded study notes yet, but pretty close: Advanced transfigurations, charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Occlumency . . . it's like taking an entire year in a few weeks. You'd love it. She chuckled. The last part did sound like something Hermione would enjoy. I'll write in a week or so, keep Hedwig for me overnight, would you? She's been busy,

Love Harry.

She stared at the last line for a long moment. Love Harry. What kind of Love Harry was this? Was it that love from Harry like a friend of Love from Harry like real love? She put the letter back where she found it and left the room, turning out the lights and closing the door as she went. It had to be Love from Harry like a friend; they were both too young to know what real love was. They were only 16 after all, still babies in the world.

***

"You can't keep doing this to yourself," she said a few weeks later.

"Doing what?" Hermione asked from her place by the window. Hedwig was due sometime this week.

"Waiting for his letters. There's a big world out there Hermione, waiting for you." She watched Hermione open her mouth to reply before she shut it again and turned back to the window. "What was that?"

"Nothing," she said.

"Oh for pity sakes! Go read a book Hermione!" Hermione turned to look at her, she had never told her to actually go and read a book before. Usually she was telling her to get her head out of a book. A tap at the window interrupted the argument and she watched as Hermione opened the window, clutched at the letter and the owl perched on her shoulder before she closed the window and breezed off to her room.

She found this letter in her room as well. This one was brief.

Hermione, plans have changed. Moody, Tonks and Lupin are going to stop by your house soon; they may want your family to move to You Know Where for a while. Voldemort is getting stronger faster than we thought he would and we're running out of time. I guess you're going to get to help me out after all, Ron too. Don't do anything foolish in the mean time! I mean it!

All my love, Harry

Her brow furrowed as she read it again. Moody and Lupin she had heard of, they had been professors at Hogwarts briefly. She hadn't heard of this Tonks before. Or this Voldemort. What the hell was this boy getting her baby into? And her and her husband for that matter. He also signed the letter with love again. As she was putting the letter back, she noticed a letter back to him and curiosity got the better of her again and she picked it up.

Dear Harry, She read in her daughter's neat hand writing. I can hardly wait to see you. I thought you were still at Hogwarts with Dumbledore, not You Know Where. Why didn't you tell me you were leaving Hogwarts? I suppose it doesn't matter, as long as you're safe and still studying. I will send you those colour coded study guides if you want, I don't mind.

Aren't I supposed to be the one telling you not to do anything foolish in the mean time? Maybe I have rubbed off on you a little, now if only I could do the same for Ron . . . .

I miss you so much it hurts, all my love, Hermione

She stared at the letter for a long moment. She didn't know what to do now. Everything made sense now, why she waited so diligently for the letters, why she always read them in her room why she always insisted on waiting with Harry when they got of the train, waiting until his Uncle showed up to get him. . . . She was in love and in love with what seemed to be some kind of traveling soldier. This was not good as far as she was concerned. They were both only 16, far too young to be in love, to understand what it meant.

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