You Have to Be There
A ringing phone pulled Hermione out of the trance she had been sitting in. She looked over to the wall and saw the handheld phone blinking and shaking a bit in the cradle. Hermione couldn't make out the caller idea from where she was sitting so she crawled up from off the floor and grabbed the phone off the wall.
"Hello."
"Hey Hermione."
"Harry, gee I haven't talked to you since this morning."
"I know, I know I could have told you when I talked to you tomorrow, but I kind of had some big news."
"What Harry?"
"I've decided to retire from Quidditch."
"What!?"
"I know, shocking isn't it, but I think it's time. I've had a meeting with the team today. They wanted me to renew my contract, but I think it's time I stepped aside. I've played enough games, won enough Cups."
"So it's over - just like that."
"Well no, I'm already part of team England, I can't back out now, but the last game we play will be my last game. If we make it all the way to the Cup it'll be an amazing way to go."
"Yeah it would be. Do you think you're going to make the Cup this year?"
"We might, I don't know, I don't want to get my hopes up you know."
"Oh you guys will make it."
"You think?"
"Definitely."
"Well then that brings me to the other issue."
"What other issue?"
"I want you to be there Hermione; you know if we make it to the Cup."
"I don't know Harry."
"Come on Hermione, you can close the shop for a week."
"The shop isn't the issue; I'm taking time off from it as it is." During the summer Hermione only worked in the story on weekends so that she could spend most of her time with James and Lily, but of course Harry didn't know that.
"Then what is the issue?"
"It's not important."
"It's important if it's enough to keep you from coming home to see me play my last game. Come on Hermione, I know Quidditch isn't your thing - I know it's never been your thing, but you have to be there." Hermione looked up the stairs desperately, as if her children would be there encouraging her to go home.
"When will you know if you made it into the cup?"
"In two weeks."
"Tell you what, I'll think about it and let you know - I mean I do have two weeks."
"Alright Hermione," Harry said grudgingly. "I'll give you some time to think - not that I know what you need to think about 'cause you won't tell me."
"Harry," Hermione said warningly.
"I know Hermione, don't make you feel guilty."
"I'll call you when I've made up my mind."
"Alright, bye Hermione."
"Bye Harry."
It was time, Hermione decided as she hung up the phone, time to tell her children who there father was. They had asked and then he had called - it was a sign. Plus there really wasn't any good reason not to tell them. Hermione got up from the floor and headed upstairs. She needed to get something from her room before she told them. After grabbing the old red and gold photo album she walked to her son's room. He was laying on his bed like he always did when he was in a huff. Hermione sat down next to him and rubbed his back gently before calling for Lily to come in.
"Yeah Mum?" Lily asked walking across the hallway.
"I've decided that James is right, I have to tell you who you're father someday and that someday is today." James looked up at her in utter disbelief.
"You mean it?" James asked sitting up.
"I mean it, come on Lily sit down." When Lily had sat down on the bed Hermione continued. "I've actually told you about him before, but never said he was you're father. You're father is my friend Harry, Harry Potter." Lily and James looked at her, their mouths hanging wide open. She had told them about Harry Potter and all the things he had done for their world, but they had never suspected he was their father. But they had never seen pictures of him - another thing Hermione intended to remedy. She flipped the photo album open and handed it to her children.
"That's Harry and I over the summer before seventh year." It was a picture of them at number twelve Grimmauld Place just after Harry passed his apparition test. He was so happy then.
"I have his eyes." Lily said excitedly.
"Yes you do, and he got them from his mother."
"You may have his eyes but I look more like him."
"You look exactly like his father who he looked like except his father had hazel eyes." Hermione flipped the page and there was a picture of James and Lily Potter, Harry's parents. "I named you two after them."
"How did you get this picture?"
"A friend of mine got it for me so I would have something to show you."
"Why doesn't he know about us - I know you said you didn't tell him, but why didn't you?" Hermione sighed, she didn't know how to explain any of this to them, but there was no point in hiding the truth anymore.
"Harry had a very hard life. I couldn't weigh his life down anymore then it already had been. I made a very selfish decision. It took your father out of your lives and I'm sorry, but I thought it was best thing to do at the time." Lily crawled across the bed and hugged her mother comfortingly.
"It's alright Mum, we forgive you."
"Yeah Mum, we've got a good life here even without him." She knew they were saying that to be nice, but it worked, made her feel better even if she thought she had made the wrong decision all those years ago.
"Well he's invited me to watch him play in the World Cup at the end of August - that is if his team plays in it. And I've been thinking maybe it's time he found out about you two."
"Really?"
"Really - he's missed out on so much of your lives and I don't think that's very fair do you?"
"So we're going to see him play?"
"Only if the team makes it, so let's prey they make it."
Austenlover - sadly Hermione doesn't date (I only say sadly because she's been alone for ten years) but you'll learn more about that around chapter…um…23 Jenna Kathleen - you're not stupid you're just really slow, but that's alright `cause I'm sure you were think of something much more important like Tom or chapter 19 - something down2earthangl85 - : ) HHRLVR - thank you for being understanding - the chapters get longer…eventually Recooper1 - : ) izzieq - that's okay you're not really suppose to feel sorry for Hermione you're just supposed to understand her motivations and eventually forgive her - just like Harry ginnymalfoy21 - yes Daniel is Ginny's husband spaz141 - I hope the typos are fewer this time around - yeah 34 chapters, a lot of stuff is going to be happening oh and did you get my reply to your review for chapter 2? LilLamb - well that doesn't exactly happen, but it'll be good all the same JayaMioneDurron - no looking ahead - that's cheating div - it shouldn't be to long Tay - : ) Beppo - she thoughts she was doing the right thing phoenixtears89 - Yey - I'm awesome, I think you're awesome too : ) harrynmione - well maybe not blow up - but stuff is going to happen sweetie513 - : ) Chancellor - yeah Hermione should have told him, but she realizes that and is taking steps to remedy that KJBridgerton - : ) Favo de Mel - : ) Lauren-Danille - : ) : ) : )
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