Chapter 6
"You're what?"
Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour was crowded with after Christmas shoppers taking a break from raiding the offers that each Diagon Alley shop had going. Kids and adults alike were laughing and talking, their cheer from the previous day's celebrations buoyed by the impression that they had just gotten great deals on merchandise that, two days earlier, they would have bought at twice the cost. Amid the cacophony, Hermione had just told Daniel that she was dating Super Wizard. Daniel was clinging to the slim hope that he'd misheard her.
Hermione cleared her throat and stabbed and withdrew her spoon into her large dip of Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream. "Harry and I have been seeing each other."
Daniel watched his mother's spoon continue to pierce her ice cream. "You mean dating?"
She placed the spoon in the bowl, the clink of it settling against the glass rim loud enough to eclipse the din surrounding him. She wiped her clean fingers on her serviette and placed them in her lap. Daniel resisted the urge to look under the table to see if her hands were folded; he knew they were.
"Yes. We're dating."
Daniel stared in disgust at his Super Fudge Sundae, which only moments before had been the most beautiful sight in the world. He would never again crave or eat chocolate.
"Great," Daniel said to himself. He looked up at his mother, who was watching him with a concerned look in her eyes. "When?"
"When did we start dating?"
"Yes."
She cleared her throat. "He came to Barcelona on business in September. And, he came back for Le Merce…"
"You took him to Le Merce?!" Daniel said.
"We didn't stay long," Hermione said hurriedly.
Daniel snorted. As if that is supposed to make me feel better. "We always went as a family," Daniel sulked.
Hermione looked down. "I know Daniel. But you agree that Le Merce is a great way for someone not familiar with Barcelona to see it. You even mentioned it to Jo and Theo!"
"That's different," Daniel said. "You've been dating since then?"
"Yes, I guess you could say that," she said, picking up her spoon and beginning to poke her ice cream again.
Scenes from his mother's visit flitted through his mind - the look that passed between the two of them during the Quidditch match, glances between the two at the Three Broomsticks, her fidgeting during lunch much as she was doing now.
"You were dating when you came to Hogwarts," he stated in a dull, flat voice.
She cleared her throat again. "Something wrong, Mum? You have something in your throat?"
"No," she said, picking up her glass of water and taking a sip.
"You were going to tell me then, weren't you? When you visited Scotland?"
"No."
"But, you chickened out."
"No, I was there to see you; that's all."
"No, you were there on a date with Super Wizard," Daniel accused.
"Daniel! What did you just call him?"
"Nothing," he said, staring at his ice cream that had turned from a majestic mountain of decadence to a mound of unappealing goo.
"You may not like the fact that I'm dating someone, but you will not be disrespectful. And you will not call Harry, or any adult for that matter, names."
Super Wizard, Super Wizard, Super Wizard, Daniel chanted inside his head.
"Daniel!" his mother said, raising her voice. "Did you hear me?"
"Yes, ma'am," he murmured. Super Wizard, Super Wizard, Super Wizard…
"Now," Hermione said, straightening up, "for the record, I came to Hogwarts to see you. I was not coming to tell you about Harry. We'd only seen each other a couple of times at that point. It was hardly worth upsetting you if it wasn't serious."
Super Wiz…Daniel's head snapped up. "If it wasn't serious?" He narrowed his eyes. "Does that mean…" He stopped, unable to finish the sentence.
Hermione studied Daniel for a moment before pushing her ice cream to the side and leaning on the table. "I'm not going to lie to you, Daniel. It is rather serious. I care for Harry very much."
Daniel's stomach lurched, and for a thrilling instant he thought he was going to vomit all over his mother. The idea was so appealing that he considered doing it. It wouldn't take much; just the thought of vomit and its tangy, bitter taste and smell was enough to make it happen. His unconscious aversion to making a public spectacle was stronger than his desire to humiliate his mother and the bile that was forming in his throat was forced down. The ill feeling from the knowledge that his mother was betraying his father remained.
"Care for him," Daniel repeated. "But you don't love him."
"Daniel…," Hermione started.
Daniel broke in. "Why are you telling me here?" he said, gesturing toward the bustling crowd of the parlour. "Now? Why not tell me while we were at Nan and Pop's?"
"I wanted to wait until after Christmas and Boxing Day. I know how much you love the holidays. So, I decided to tell you today. I was going to wait until the end of the day, until we'd gotten your birthday present, but I just couldn't. I've been sick with worry about telling you."
"Great. Now we both can feel sick," he mumbled, flattening his ice cream.
"What?"
"Nothing," he replied, stabbing the handle of his spoon into the ice cream so that it appeared to be a silver tree. He pushed back from the table and said, "I'm ready to go."
His mum appeared shocked. "Don't you want to talk about this?" she asked.
"No, not really," he said, turning to walk out of the shop.
He got into the alley and took a deep breath, the cool air a refreshing change from the stuffy atmosphere of the crowded shop. He felt his mother stand beside him, but didn't look at her, instead turning his head to look in the opposite direction. She put on her gloves and said, "Daniel…"
"Let's go to Gringotts," he said and turned to walk in the direction of the large white building, not looking back to see if his mother was following - not caring if she was or not.
"We need to talk about this," she said, walking alongside him.
"I don't want to," he replied, shoving his hands in his pockets and hunching his shoulders.
"Sometimes we have to do things we don't like," Hermione said.
Daniel rolled his eyes and muttered, "Please." He waited, knowing that she would continue no matter what he said.
"This hasn't been easy for me either, Daniel." His snort of derision was lost amid the noise of Diagon Alley. "I loved your father very much, you know I did. I still love him."
Yeah, right.
"But, I…" She paused and Daniel strained to listen, genuinely curious as to how she would explain herself in a way so that he wouldn't hate her. "It isn't as if Harry is a stranger."
"He is to me," Daniel said.
"I've known Harry my entire life," she continued as if he hadn't spoken. They were weaving in and out of the crowd, Hermione struggling to keep her voice low enough so others couldn't hear. "Come here," she said, pulling him into a doorway by the sleeve of his cloak.
Daniel stared at the door, the cracking green paint and rusty door knob giving it an abandoned, derelict air. He reached out for an ornate knob in the middle of the left door and was surprised when it turned. He heard a faint buzzing through the door that stopped and started with every twist of the handle.
"Daniel, stop fiddling and listen to me," Hermione growled, slapping his hand away from the old fashioned doorbell.
Daniel glared up at her. "What?" he snapped.
She looked abashed. "I'm sorry." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Bloody hell," she said as she expelled the breath. She opened her eyes and knelt down to look at him. "I'm going to be straight with you, Daniel."
"Meaning you haven't been?"
She took another deep breath in an obvious effort to keep her anger in check. "Daniel, you have to hush and listen for just a minute. Can you do that?"
He stood there, mute.
"Can you?" she asked, impatience creeping into her voice.
"You just asked me to hush and listen, so I am."
She stood up and glared down at him. "You are trying to irritate me, aren't you?"
He restrained a smirk. "Maybe."
"Go ahead and gloat. You are thoroughly irritating me, so much so that I'm considering buying you Hogwarts: A History for your birthday present instead of an owl."
"That's fine. I've always wanted to read the updated version," he sneered.
"You are one cheeky swot, you know it?" She crossed her arms. "I'm trying to treat you like the mature kid that I thought you were. I'm beginning to think that I should treat you like a petulant 11 year old and tell you to get over it. Which would you prefer?"
"It doesn't matter. You are going to do what you want anyway."
"You're right, I am. I was hoping I could explain it so that you would understand. It would make it easier on everyone."
"You mean easier on you and Super Wizard," Daniel retorted.
"I will not have you calling him that," she said, pointing her finger in his face.
He looked down and began his silent chant again. Super Wizard, super wizard, super wizard…
"Do you want me to explain it or not?"
"No."
"Fine. Then get over it," she said, stalking off toward Gringotts without a second glance at him. He turned and followed her, trying to keep sight of her curly brown hair in the crowd. He saw her start to walk up the steps and stop to wait for him without turning around. He kept his eyes on her back and didn't see the two people coming down the steps toward her until he was standing next to her.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't the Good Healer."
Daniel's mouth gaped open at the sight of the tall, beautiful woman standing three steps above them. Her long blonde hair cascaded to her shoulders, resting lightly on her cerulean coloured robe. Her face reminded Daniel of the porcelain dolls he'd seen in his mother's childhood room at his grandparents' house: flawless ivory skin, clear blue eyes and shiny red lips.
"Hello, Bridgette," his mother replied in a cool voice.
At the sound of the name, Daniel tore his eyes from the woman to the girl standing next to her and his stomach lurched at the sight of Katie Potter sneering at him. And I thought the day couldn't get any worse.
"What brings you to London," Bridgette asked, " as if I didn't know."
"We are here visiting my parents for the holidays," Hermione replied.
"Oh yes. Muggles, aren't they?"
Daniel watched his mother, noting the muscle working in her jaw. She turned her attention from Bridgette and attempted a pleasant tone of voice. "Hello, Katie. How are you?"
"Fine," she replied.
"Have a good holiday so far?" Hermione continued.
"No."
"That's too bad," Hermione said. "Here to do some shopping?" she continued, trying to be nice.
Bridgette scoffed. "Merlin, no. We're just here to get money for our trip to Paris. Surely you knew Harry was sending us to Paris."
Daniel watched with mounting glee as he saw his mother's eyes narrow. "Of course I knew you were going to Paris. But the owl you sent me with all the details must have gotten lost in transit."
Bridgette smirked and Daniel could tell she was enjoying the game, whatever game it was the two of them were playing.
"Harry is such a sweetheart," Bridgette continued, flipping her mane behind her shoulder. "Just last night he told me to spare no expense"
Daniel saw Katie's eyes dart to her mother, a look of confusion on her face. "He wants to make sure his little girl has everything she wants," Bridgette finished, placing her arm around Katie's shoulders.
Daniel could tell that his mother was holding back, just as she had done not ten minutes before with him. He felt a sudden surge of shame for acting the way he had.
Hermione looked at Katie, plastering a smile on her face. "I hope you have a lovely time. Sorry you won't be coming to Barcelona this weekend."
It was Daniel's turn to be surprised. Barcelona? Harry was coming to Barcelona? Was Jo coming? And Olivia?
Bridgette turned to Katie. "I've been to Barcelona and it is positively dull. You won't be missing a thing."
"Well, you will have plenty of chances to visit another time," Hermione said to Katie, while staring at Bridgette. "Come on, Daniel. Let's go get your owl," Hermione said. "Have a nice trip," she said over her shoulder to the two blondes.
As they walked up the steps, Daniel thought he saw steam coming out of his mother's ears. "Harry's coming to Barcelona?" Daniel asked.
"Yes, he is. Please don't give me grief about it just now. You can berate me later," she said, yanking the door open.
Neither said a word to each other while in Gringotts. Daniel watched his mother out of the corner of his eye, concerned that she was about to explode from stress. He capped his curiosity, waiting until she had cooled down to ask the barrage of questions he had.
"That might be the most beautiful owl I've ever seen," Hermione said to Daniel as they left the pet shop. "What are you going to name him?"
"I don't know," Daniel said with a grin, holding the cage up at eye level. His owl, a large grey barn owl with yellow eyes, gave a long low hoot. "He is great, isn't he?"
"Yes, you chose brilliantly," she said with a smile, placing her arm around his shoulders. "Now you have no excuse to not write me every week," she teased.
Daniel was relieved that his mother appeared to have calmed down since her confrontation with Katie's mum. It had been so long since he'd seen his mother worked up that he'd forgotten how disconcerting it was. Usually so logical and unflappable, her swings into emotions, whether it be anger, fury, sadness or happiness, always made him feel like he'd been dropped into a Salvador Dali painting.
"How about an early tea at The Leaky Cauldron before we go back to Nan and Pops?"
"Sure," Daniel replied.
After ordering their food at the bar, they settled into a booth in the back corner of the pub, his mother being greeted by a surprising number of people along the way. He could tell that she was as surprised about this as he was; most of them didn't know her personally, only through her reputation and tales of what she'd done with Harry and Ron twenty years ago. Her mixture of confusion and amusement couldn't hide - at least from her son - her pride in being remembered so fondly by so many.
"I never knew you were so famous," Daniel said once they were seated.
"Oh, I'm not famous," she said, removing her cloak and placing it beside her on the bench.
"Seven people you don't know just stopped you. How can you say you aren't famous?"
"Harry's the famous one. Ron and I just rode his coattails."
"How did they recognise you anyway?" Daniel asked, the idea that she'd been coming to London more than he thought creeping in.
"I haven't changed that much, you know," she teased. When she saw he wasn't buying it, she continued. "Our pictures were all over the papers, Daniel. For years. I'd imagine that Harry's image is burned into the wizarding world's mind the way Winston Churchill's is for muggles."
"Who does that make you? The Queen?"
"No," she said with a grin. "Maybe Princess Diana."
"Who's that?" Daniel asked.
Hermione chuckled and waved her hand. "Never mind."
"Why don't you ever talk about it? Defeating Voldemort?"
"I doubt that Harry or Ron talk about it either. It's in the past."
"But, it's so cool!" Daniel said, eyes shining.
"No, it wasn't cool, Daniel. It was terrifying. Every day I woke up afraid that this might be the day that my best friend would be killed. It was the worst two years of my life."
"Were you two…you know, boyfriend and girlfriend?" he asked, looking down at the table and blushing.
"For a little while after Voldemort was killed, yes."
"You broke up?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
She crossed her arms over her chest. "Before I answer, who am I talking to here? My mature son or the petulant 11 year old."
"Almost 12," Daniel corrected.
"Okay then, my petulant almost 12 year old."
"Mature 12 year old," Daniel said.
"I don't know how much of this you will understand, Daniel." She leaned forward across the table. "Remember that this all happened before I met your father, okay? It has nothing to do with him."
"Okay."
She leaned back. "I loved Harry very much. I didn't realise how much at the time. That's not entirely true. Maybe a part of me did, which is why I ended it."
"You chucked him?"
"Yes. The reasons are all rather stupid now, but at the time they made complete sense." She gave a wry smile. "You will find that many things you do when you are younger seem stupid as you get older." Daniel rolled his eyes. "Trust me, you'll see."
Daniel watched the condensation on his glass roll down to puddle on the table. "So, you've always loved him?" he asked. "But what about Dad?"
"I loved your father very much. Never in our 13 years together did I wish I was married to someone else or love anyone else."
"But, you just said…"
"I was 18 when Harry and I stopped seeing each other. I had no idea what love was, what it felt like, what it meant to be in love. I know now that I was in love with Harry. I didn't know then."
"How could you fall in love with Dad if you loved Harry?"
She chuckled. "I never realised this would be so difficult to explain." She leaned forward across the table again. "Harry and I hadn't been together for years when I met your father. We were friends, but nothing more. Love, romantic love, isn't something that is everlasting. People tell you it is, but they're lying. It is something that has to be nurtured, protected and cherished. It takes more than the flippy feeling in your stomach for a relationship to work. Those warm fuzzies diminish over time."
"Huh?"
Hermione sat back and laughed. "I guess I went a little overboard there." She glanced at the bar and waved. "Food's ready. Be right back."
"How's your shepherd's pie?" she asked a few minutes later, popping a chip into her mouth.
"Good," Daniel said. "Not as good as Hogwart's though," he continued, washing it down with some water. He opened his mouth, ready to ask her about Harry's trip to Barcelona, then clamped it shut. He wasn't sure he wanted to know about it. And part of him hoped that if he didn't mention it, Harry wouldn't come. He caught the eye of a man who was walking through the pub. He was tall and dressed from head to toe in black. His blonde, or was it gray, hair was tied at the nape of his neck, allowing the sharp features of his face to dominate his appearance. His cool eyes flicked over him, and the back of his mother's head as he scanned the room. He stopped, his eyes returning to Daniel, and turned away from Daniel toward the bar.
"Daniel, I asked you a question."
"Sorry," Daniel said, returning his gaze to his mum.
"Do you like Hogwarts?"
Daniel gave a one-shouldered shrug. "Yeah, it's okay."
"What exactly does that mean?"
"It means it's okay." He looked back to the man at the bar, who had turned around and was leaning against the brass rail holding a drink with a smirk on his face. Daniel looked back at his shepherd's pie. He heard his mother sigh.
"Is there anything else you need to get while we are here?"
"A broom?"
"A what?" she asked, choking on her drink.
"A broom. Jo is teaching me how to fly and I'm teaching her Spanish in return."
"No kidding?" Hermione said. "How is she doing?"
"Pretty good. Her accent is horrible, but she's trying."
"How are you doing on the broom?"
"Probably not as well as she's doing in Spanish. She tells me I'm doing good, but she's positive about everything."
"Even Snape?" Hermione asked with a grin.
"Well, maybe not everything," he replied.
"You know you can't have a broom in your first year."
"Yes, but Theo can."
"Doesn't Theo have his own broom?"
"No, he doesn't fly. He has vertigo."
"Really?" Hermione said. "Huh." She drummed her fingers on the table. "What kind of broom are we talking about here?"
Sensing a weakening, Daniel went in for the kill. "Nothing too fancy. Maybe a Cleansweep 340?"
"You know the model number?" Hermione asked, amused.
"I may have been looking in catalogs with Jo."
"Uh-huh. How much is this not too fancy broom going to set me back?"
"Ten galleons?"
She made a hissing sound and said, "An owl and a broom…well, let's go take a look. Maybe I can be swayed."
Daniel bolted up from the booth and ran smack into a sea of black robes.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't Hermione Granger," he heard a drawling voice say. Daniel looked up to see the man from the bar blocking their path. "I thought it was you. Although I'd have thought after twenty years you would have been able to do something with that bramble you call hair."
"Malfoy. What an unpleasant surprise," Hermione replied. She looked him up and down. "I see you are going for the middle aged Death Eater look." She made a great show of looking at his hands. "Ah, yes. There it is. The serpent topped walking stick, just like your father. Funny. I thought you would have had a bit more originality than that. But, of course, that would have required a bit of independent thinking on your part, which we all know isn't your strong suit."
Daniel's eyes widened. Was this really his mother talking? He'd never in his life heard her talk to anyone like she'd talked to Katie's mum and now this man. He had to admit, he liked it. He tried his best not to shrink back as the man's eyes landed on him. "This must be your son, the Spaniard."
"Interesting that you'd know that, Malfoy. Been keeping tabs on me?"
"The wizarding world isn't that large, Granger. Plus, I have a son who is at Hogwarts. Don't flatter yourself that I care one way or another about anything to do with you."
"You stopped us, now, didn't you? I would have walked past you without a second glance. Which is why we are leaving now," she said, propelling Daniel forward with a hand in his back.
When they got into the alley, Daniel turned to his mother. "Who was that man?"
"A reprehensible man that I was at Hogwarts with. His parents were Death Eaters and died in the final battle."
"Wow," Daniel said. Malfoy, Malfoy, he thought. "I think I know who his son is."
"Yes, well you should probably stay away from him if at all possible."
"He's in Slytherin."
"Shocking." Hermione turned to Daniel. "What do you think of Katie? Are you around her much?"
Daniel got uncomfortable immediately. "Not much," he replied. "We have a couple of classes together, but she does her best to ignore me."
"I get the impression that she's a lot like her mum," Hermione said.
"They look alike," Daniel offered.
"Let's just hope she doesn't act like her," Hermione said, opening the door to Quality Quidditch Supplies.
Thirty minutes later, twenty galleons lighter, a broom and broomstick servicing kit heavier, they left the shop. "If you break your neck on that thing, I'll kill you," Hermione said putting her gloves on.
Daniel couldn't wipe the silly grin off his face. "That would be redundant, wouldn't it? If I broke my neck…," he said, trailing off, a huge grin on his face.
"Cheeky whatsit," Hermione said, punching him on the arm. "We have to leave now. I'm out of money."
"I think I'm starting to like this shopping thing," Daniel said, carrying Panza in one hand and his broom in the other. He didn't know which to admire first.
"I'll bring you next time I shop for knickers. That should cure you," Hermione replied. Her grin froze on her face as she stared at a newsstand.
"Mum, what's wrong?" Daniel asked. She walked over to the newsstand, grabbed a Daily Prophet and tossed a knut onto the stack remaining. Her face had gone pale in spite of the brittle cold that surrounded them. Daniel looked down at the stack of remaining papers and saw a picture of Harry in the upper left hand corner, under what appeared to be a society column. He was obviously at a party, the dress robe and bow tie was a giveaway, as was the woman with long brown hair standing next to him in formal shimmering green dress robes. They were laughing and looking at each other, appearing to have the time of their lives.
Daniel looked back at his mum, his scathing remark about Harry dying on his lips at the stricken expression on her face. Instead, he had the urge to beat the shite out of him. The last time he'd seen his mother look so upset was after his dad died.
"Mum?" he said.
She shook her head and looked at him. Folding the paper in half and sticking it under her arm, she gave him a fake smile and said, "Ready to go?"
He nodded and they made their way through London back to her parents' house without speaking a word.
**
"Welcome to Barcelona," Hermione said with a smile, gesturing for Harry and Olivia to enter her home.
"Wow," Olivia said, looking around at the Spanish style home. "This is beautiful."
"Thank you," Hermione said, turning her cheek toward Harry's advancing lips. He gave her a quick peck and whispered, "Hi," while his hand rubbed up her back.
"Hi," she replied, not quite meeting his eyes.
"What's wrong?" he continued.
"Nothing," she replied, turning her attention to Olivia. "How was your trip?"
"Uneventful."
"My favourite kind," Hermione said. "Daniel!" she called. "They're here."
Harry watched Daniel skulk down the hall toward them, his hands shoved in his pockets and a glare directed toward Harry.
This is going to be fun.
"Hiya, Daniel," Harry said with a wave.
"Hi Daniel," Olivia offered with a smile. She looked back and forth between Hermione, Harry and Daniel and said, "Daniel, why don't you show me around your house."
"Okay," he said, looking down as his cheeks pinked up.
"I'll make us drinks," Hermione said, walking toward the kitchen without a backward glance.
"I'll just stand here and look stupid," Harry mumbled to himself as everyone walked away from him. He walked into the kitchen to find Hermione filling the kettle with water. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she replied. She looked up at him, gave him a forced smile, and returned her attention to her task.
"I never received the owl you promised to send after talking to Daniel," he said, inching his way around the island to stand beside her.
"I forgot."
"Hmm," he said. "I thought the one you received from me would have reminded you."
"I've been busy."
"So have I."
"Yes, I know. How was the St. Mungo's benefit?"
"Dreadfully dull. But we raised 20,000 galleons."
"You looked like you were having a good time in the picture I saw."
"What picture?"
Hermione turned and grabbed the paper from the counter behind her and dropped it in front of Harry. "The one on the front page of the Daily Prophet."
Harry picked it up and rolled his eyes. "God, I hate this rag. It's been twenty years and I can't go to a public loo without it being front page news." He stared at the picture and gave a small smile. "Tonks looks pretty, doesn't she?"
Hermione stopped, a spoonful of tea leaves hovering in her hand over the yellow ceramic tea pot her mother had given her for her wedding. "Tonks?"
"Yeah," Harry replied. "She really looks good in green. I guess I should say this version of her looks good in green. Did you know, she picks the dress then stands in front of the mirror changing her look until it fits? Ron says it's how she unwinds."
Hermione dumped the tea into the pot and snatched the paper from his hands and studied the picture. "This is Tonks?"
"Yeah, who did you think it was?"
"I didn't know," Hermione said blushing. She put the paper down and turned away from Harry under the guise of needing something from a drawer behind them. Harry looked at the picture then at Hermione's back and it all clicked into place.
"I didn't tell you, did I?" he said, wrapping his arms around her waist.
She shook her head.
"I take Tonks to all of the formal fundraisers I have to go to. She changes her appearance for each one and goes as my date so I won't be bothered."
"That's nice of her," Hermione said in a small voice.
"She looks forward to them, unlike me. If it wasn't for her, I would skive off of half of them." He rested his chin on her shoulder. "Were you jealous?" he asked.
"Maybe a little."
"Angry?"
"Maybe a lot."
Harry pushed her hair away from her shoulder, exposing her neck. He ran his lips up her neck and to her ear. "You are a possessive little thing, aren't you?"
She tilted her head away from his lips exposing her neck even more, closed her eyes and sighed. "It's not one of my more dominant qualities, but yes, I am." His hand moved up to squeeze her breast as his lips danced on the curve of her neck. "Harry, we can't do this," she said, without conviction. "Daniel…Olivia…"
"You're right," he replied, stepping away from her. She turned around, shock and frustration in her eyes. He wiggled his eyebrows and smirked at her.
"You are a tease, Harry Potter," she said.
"You know, we could solve this problem."
"What problem is that?" she asked. "Here. Make yourself useful," she said, motioning for him to pour the now boiling water into the tea pot.
"Move to England and you can go to the dreadfully dull fundraisers with me."
"Is that one of the perks?"
"After you've been to a couple I doubt you'll call them perks."
"That's not the way to convince me."
"Convince you?" Harry said, mid pour. "I thought we'd decided."
"We did," she said. "It's just…"
"Daniel," Harry stated, resuming his task.
"He didn't take it very well."
"I guessed as much from the glare he shot me when we arrived."
"He doesn't understand how I could fall in love with Miguel if I loved you, or maybe it's how I could fall in love with you when I loved his dad. It's all very confusing. He's eleven," she said, stirring the tea. "Would you grab the milk?" she asked. Harry opened the refrigerator, grabbed the milk and returned to stand beside Hermione. "How did the girls take it?"
"Olivia was fine with it, which I expected. She's 15, after all, and thinks she understands everything. She at least pretends to understand everything. Jo seemed stunned and a little hurt. She gave me a hug before leaving the room rather quickly. Olivia told me she was crying."
"Crying?!"
"She and I have always been close. She's a little concerned about you taking me over, I think."
"Did you talk to her?"
"Yes. I tried to tell her that it's different, loving your child and loving someone else, but she just looked at me like I'd lost my mind, so I gave up."
"I tried that, too. Daniel's response was, 'huh?'" Hermione said laughing.
"She'll come around," Harry said. "Jo loves everyone; she'll love you, too."
"What about Katie? How did she react?"
"She told me, after Olivia and Jo left, that she knew all along."
"What?"
"Katie is very, very good at reading people. She could tell that day at the Three Broomsticks that something was going on."
"That's impressive for an 11 year old," Hermione said.
"I knew an 11 year old like that," Harry replied, looking at her out of the corner of his eyes.
"Who? Me?"
"Yes, you. Need I remind you about the time Malfoy tried to get us in trouble in first year? You saw right through his duel challenge."
"Speaking of Malfoy, Daniel and I saw him at The Leaky Cauldron."
"Trying a bit hard to look like Lucius, isn't he?"
"You think?" she asked with a laugh. She paused and looked at him. "What were we talking about?"
"Katie."
"Right. Was she upset?"
"No. Well, check that, if she was upset she wouldn't let it show."
"That's unhealthy."
"That's Katie."
"Dobby would go wild in this kitchen," Olivia said, walking in ahead of Daniel.
"Yes he would," Harry replied.
"Who's Dobby?" Daniel interjected with a glare at Harry.
"Dobby is Harry's house-elf," Hermione said, handing a cup of tea to Olivia and Daniel.
"You have a house-elf?" Daniel said to Harry. "And you don't care?" he shot at his mum.
"Dobby is a special case," Hermione said, grinning at Harry.
"I pay him," Harry replied to Daniel.
"Harry will have plenty of time to explain to you about Dobby," Hermione said walking around the counter. "I need to get to the hospital. Are you ready Olivia?"
Her eyes lit up. "Yes, I can't wait!"
Hermione went over to Daniel, kissed him on the forehead and whispered something in his ear. Daniel gave a patented adolescent eyeroll and shrugged himself free of his mother's grip. "You two have fun," she said with a furtive glance back at Harry. He gave her an encouraging smile that he didn't feel and watched them leave the kitchen. He heard the door close and silence descended over the house.
Daniel was looking everywhere but at Harry. "Dobby was…"
"I don't care about Dobby," Daniel snapped, his eyes boring into Harry.
"Okay," Harry replied. "It's a boring story anyway." Harry shoved his hands in the pockets of his trousers. "What would you like to do?"
"Nothing with you," he replied.
"You look like you want to ground me to a pulp." Harry raised one eyebrow when Daniel didn't reply. "Well, now we're getting somewhere. Reckon you could?"
"Could what?"
"Ground me to a pulp?"
Daniel scoffed. "No."
Harry stood up straight and flexed his arms in front of him. "My muscles are intimidating, aren't they?"
"In your dreams."
Harry pretended to deflate. "I'm a puny Limey, aren't I? Go on, you can say it. I've seen these macho Spaniards around here." He leaned forward a bit and said in a conspiratorial whisper. "Frankly, they are all a bit scary." Harry saw maybe a little crack in Daniel's tough façade and hurried forward lest his progress be lost. "I don't know about you, but I don't want to stick around here and be glowered at all day. Why don't you and I get our brooms and go flying. You can send me hateful looks the entire time and I won't care."
"You don't have your broom."
"Don't I?" Harry said, wiggling his eyebrows and walking past Daniel. He didn't look back, confident that Daniel would follow. Hoping he would follow, more like it.
He opened up his duffle and pulled out a toy broomstick, barely six inches long. Daniel watched as Harry made a great show of waving his wand." The broomstick enlarged to normal size and hovered just in front of Harry. He could tell that Daniel was impressed in spite of himself.
"Jo told me that you are quite good. I thought you could get some practice in since I know your mum won't go flying with you. Jo's really sorry she couldn't come, by the way. She and Theo have had this Quidditch match planned for months."
"I know," Daniel said.
"That reminds me," Harry said, pulling a letter out of his back pocket with Jo's neat block script on the front. "She wanted me to give this to you."
Daniel took the letter with a mumbled, "Thanks."
"So, how about it? Want to grab your broom?"
"Okay," Daniel said. He turned half-way down the hall and said, "You want to owl Olivia and Mum to meet us for dinner after?"
"Sure, that sounds like fun. I'm not too familiar with restaurants around here."
"I know just the place," Daniel said with a smile. "We can use Panza, my owl."
"I'll start the note while you get your broom and Panza."
Harry went into Hermione's library and opened the drawer to her desk where he knew parchment and quills were located. He started the note then called out to Daniel. "What's the name of the café?"
"Javier's. It's Mum's favorite," Daniel said, standing in the doorway.
"Oh, didn't realise you were right there," Harry said with a smile. He finished the note, returned the quill to its drawer and closed it. He folded it and looked up to see Daniel standing there, staring at the desk with a peculiar expression on his face.
"Everything okay?" Harry asked.
Daniel shook his head and replied, "Fine." He leveled a stare at Harry. "Everything is just fine."
**
It all seemed like a good idea a few days ago.
Daniel stood outside Javier's, feeling like a nest of snakes was slithering inside his stomach. Harry was holding the door open, broom in hand, hair wind-tossed and cheeks flushed from exertion. He gave Daniel an encouraging, friendly and - bloody hell! - nice smile before saying, "Well, come on," and nodding at the open door.
Daniel marched in, feeling as if he was going to his death. No, he wished he were dead.
He hated to admit it to himself, but he'd had a great day with Harry. He understood Jo's hero worship because, damn it, the guy was cool. Which just infuriated Daniel even more. Besides the fact that Harry was stealing his mother from him, Daniel couldn't find a fault with the guy. He held onto that one thing, and it was a big thing to an eleven year old, to stoke his ire just a bit. He couldn't give in this easy. Stick to the plan. Stick to the plan. His mantra worked and he regained a bit of the sullen attitude he'd had upon Harry's arrival as they sat down at a table, although not enough to inure him from the guilt he would feel later.
"Nice place," Harry said, looking around.
Daniel grunted in response, unable to look at Harry.
Stick to the plan. He doesn't deserve Mum.
"What's good?" Harry said, looking at a menu.
Stick to the plan. He's not good enough for her.
Well, he was all right to you. I didn't see anything wrong with him.
Shut up. He's not Dad.
Neither is Andres.
Shut up. Stick to the plan. Stick to the plan.
"Here's Hermione and Olivia!" Harry said, half raising out of his chair and waving.
"Hi you two," Hermione said as Harry kissed her on the cheek. "You look rather windswept," she said, looking at the two brooms propped against the wall.
"We went flying," Harry said.
"Obviously," Hermione replied. "You smell like it, too," she continued, wrinkling her nose.
Harry elbowed Daniel, jostling the snakes around even more. "She thinks we stink."
"She's right," Olivia said, sitting down beside Daniel and holding her nose.
"I'm surprised you chose this restaurant," Hermione said.
"Really?" Harry said, clueless. "Why? I thought it was your favourite."
Hermione cocked her head. "Didn't Daniel tell you?"
"Tell me what?" Harry said, looking at Daniel.
"This is where Miguel and I met. It was his café."
"No kidding," Harry said, looking around. Daniel wanted to sink into the floor.
"No kidding," Hermione repeated. "He moved into a larger space a few years after we married. His sous chef stayed here and opened his own café."
"Let me guess," Harry said. "His name is Javier."
Hermione rolled her eyes and grinned at him. "You are too quick. We've been coming here for years. There are, of course, sentimental reasons, but mainly because the food is so good."
"Great to hear. I'm starving," Harry said, looking at the menu.
"Daniel, you've heard it enough, why don't you tell the story of how your dad and I met."
He shook his head, staring at the grain of the wooden table.
"No, I think you should," his mother's voice said, taking on an edge. "Isn't that why we're here?" He looked up at her and saw through the good humour in her eyes to the irritation lurking beneath the surface. He knew he was in for it when they left. "You obviously wanted us to re-live the memory. I think it should come from you."
Daniel looked over at Olivia, who was studying her serviette, embarrassed for him. Harry sat back and folded his arms across his chest in a guise of interested nonchalance. His mother was sitting bolt upright in her chair staring straight at him.
"Mum came in here for lunch on the first day she was in Barcelona. Dad offered to take her around as her tour guide. She said okay."
Harry sat up and clapped his hands together. "Nice story. Let's order," he said, waving at the waiter.
"What, Daniel? No embellishment? No talk about how we fell madly in love over A Magical History of Barcelona?"
"Hermione, it's okay," Harry said. "So this is where you met your husband. Big deal. Let's just drop it."
Hermione unfolded her serviette and put it in her lap. "Really, Daniel. This is immature even for you."
"Hermione, drop it," Harry said.
And to Daniel's surprise, she did, but not before giving Harry her best death stare which Harry returned, before giving her a wink. Daniel's eyes volleyed back to his mother and he saw that her stare had cracked into a challenging smirk.
"So, what's good?" Harry asked Daniel.
For a moment Daniel felt a surge of affection for Harry, one he hadn't felt for an adult other than his mother in a long time. That feeling was cut short by the arrival of his co-conspirator.
He didn't have to turn around to know the moment Andres walked into the café. For one, the patrons at the bar all began chattering and greeting him like the long lost son that he was. The second giveaway was the way his mother's face turned to stone.
"Hermione! Daniel!" Andres said.
"Hello, Andres," Hermione said glaring at Daniel
"Olivia," Andres said, nodding in her direction. "Good to see you again."
"Hello, Healer Duran," Olivia said, a pink tinge colouring her cheeks.
"Call me Andres," he said, pulling a chair from an adjacent table, placing it between Hermione and Harry and sitting down. He looked at Harry and said, "How's the dragon fighting business, Harry?"
Harry sat back and placed his ankle on his knee, grabbing the back of Daniel's chair, forming a bridge between the two of them with his arm. "Excellent. Never better."
Andres' eyes moved between Daniel and Harry and back. "Daniel, what did you do today while your mami was giving Olivia a tour of St. Jordi's."
"We went flying," Harry said.
"Did you, Daniel?"
He tried to talk, but the knot in his throat was too large. Somehow he managed to nod his head and grunt in assent. He took a drink of his water and said, "Yes, we did."
"Did you have fun?" Hermione asked in a bright voice.
"Yeah, we did," Daniel said looking at Harry. "It was fun."
Harry gave him a smile and continued. "I brought a snitch and we wasted about two hours looking for the bloody thing," he said laughing. "Daniel finally caught it."
"He let me catch it," Daniel said.
"You don't give yourself enough credit. Jo was right when she said you were a quick study."
"I agree that you don't give yourself enough credit," Andres interjected. "Your father was a very good flyer. I'm sure you come by your talent naturally."
"I'd hoped that you wouldn't like flying," Hermione said. "It was bad enough watching and worrying about Ron and Harry flying around like madmen. I can't imagine the nervous wreck I'll be watching my only son dodging bludgers."
"I doubt I'll ever be good enough to make the house team," Daniel said.
"Sure you will," Andres said. "I seem to remember a five year old boy practicing for hours until he learned how to write his name perfectly."
"Wonder where he got that trait?" Harry said with a grin at Hermione, who promptly stuck out her tongue at him.
"Jo told me you were doing well in flying, which you are, but she wouldn't say how well she is doing with her Spanish lessons," Harry said. "So. How is she doing?"
"Very good," Daniel said, embellishing a bit out of loyalty to his best friend. He felt for her letter that he'd stuffed in his front pocket. He had the sudden urge to read it, any excuse to escape the table. "Excuse me," he said standing up abruptly. "I need to go to the…" He trailed off at the sight of Olivia looking at him with a look of amused expectation on her face. He turned on his heel and walked as fast as he could without running to the lavatory.
He latched the door and turned around, catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror. A boy, his olive skin paler than normal, with dark curly hair spilling across his forehead met his gaze. "Bastard," he said.
He pulled the wrinkled parchment out of his pocket and broke the seal, opening it for the first time.
Daniel -
Bit of a shock, eh? Our parents are dating. What do you think about it? I think it's just weird. They don't see each other for years, or really even speak, then all of a sudden they are the love of each other's life? Obviously, they aren't telling us something. Even I know you don't go from one to the other that quickly. Maybe they don't think we will understand. Maybe we won't. Maybe they don't understand. Honestly, I don't think I want to understand. Don't get me wrong, your mum seems really nice. Much nicer than mine, that's for sure.
I'm sorry I'm not there. Well, that's a lie. I want to be there to talk to you because I think we probably feel about the same about this. But, I don't really want to see my dad making goo-goo eyes at your mum. I'm not quite ready for that. Plus, I can't pass up seeing Pride versus the Cannons. Anyway, Dad said that you and your mum are invited to the Weasleys' New Year's Eve do, so I guess I'll see you (and the goo-goo eyes) in a few days anyway.
Be nice to my dad. I think he's nervous about you liking him. He asked me all kinds of questions about you. It was really kind of funny, honestly.
Know the first thing that went through my mind when he told us? That you and I are going to be brother and sister. Weird, all the way around.
Jo
Daniel folded the letter and returned it to his pocket, relieved that he wasn't the only one concerned about this match. There was one difference in Jo's reaction, however; it had never occurred to Daniel that this would move past dating. Either Harry had told them something his mother hadn't told him, or Jo was jumping to conclusions. He hoped it was the latter.
He walked to the sink and washed his hands, splashing cold water on his face. He ran his dried hands through his hair and took a deep breath, resigning himself to returning to the table, hoping that Andres had left.
He hadn't.
"We were beginning to wonder about you, Daniel," Andres said when he returned. "Thought you might have fallen in."
Daniel gave him a weak smile and wished he would leave. He felt horrible about this entire scheme. Thinking on it now, he didn't even see the point. What were he and Andres trying to prove? Either Harry was an excellent actor, or he was unaffected by Andres' arrival. He was still sitting, relaxed and laughing at something Olivia said, acting as if Andres didn't exist.
"Well, I'd best be going," Andres said. "I've imposed long enough." He stood up and looked at Hermione. "I'm glad I caught you. I was going to have to send you an owl. I need you to come in early tomorrow. Five a.m."
"What?" Hermione said. "Why?"
"Healer Sampedro had a family emergency. Couldn't be avoided."
"And of all the healers…," Hermione started. Andres looked at her, eyebrows raised in challenge. She narrowed her eyes. "Fine."
"Have a nice evening," Andres said. He bowed to Olivia and gave her a wink, prompting her to blush once again and Harry to sit up in his chair.
A waiter materialized from thin air. "Are you ready to order?"
Hermione smiled at him and replied, "Yes, we are."
After a tense meal, peppered with overly cheery talk, they paid the bill and were standing on the sidewalk in front of the café when Hermione said, "Harry, would you take Olivia and Daniel back to the house? I have something I need to do."
"Sure," he said, a puzzled look on his face.
She leaned forward and kissed him on the lips before saying, "I love you." She looked directly at Daniel for the first time since before Andres' arrival. "We'll talk when I get home," she said before disapparating.
The three of them walked away from the café, leaving Daniel's heart splattered all over the sidewalk.
**
"Hola, Hermione," Andres said as he opened the door to his flat. "I was wondering if you might show up."
"You knew very well that I'd be here."
"You are predictable."
"As are you, Andres. The difference is you are predictable in an immature, I'm-not-getting-what-I-want, sort of way."
"Meaning you're the epitome of maturity?"
"I certainly wouldn't encourage an 11 year old's feeble plan to sabotage a relationship, no."
"Who said it was Daniel's plan?"
"If it was yours that's even worse. What were you thinking?"
Andres shrugged. "You're here, aren't you?"
"If you wanted to talk, all you had to do was ask. Need I remind you that you've been the one avoiding me for the past few months?"
"I haven't been avoiding you."
Hermione shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Continue to delude yourself, Andres. I don't care anymore."
"Did you ever?"
"Not in the way you wanted."
"If you don't care, have never cared, then what are you doing here?" Andres said, taking a step closer to her. "Why aren't you with the dragon slayer?"
"Because this has to stop."
"What is that?" he said, moving closer still.
"You telling yourself that you feel more for me than you do."
"And, how do you know what I feel for you?"
He was standing barely a foot from her, invading her personal space, exuding a raw energy that she remembered from his brother, his glittering eyes staring at her lips.
"You've been giving me longing looks for years, Andres. I may not be the most outwardly emotional person on the planet, but I'm not an idiot."
"You married my brother, didn't you?"
Hermione stepped back from him. "What is that supposed to mean?"
Andres shrugged again. "I've always held you in the highest regard, Hermione. You know that. You are almost everything I could want in a woman. Except, you married my brother. You fell for his charms in less than a week. It is, honestly, the one inconsistency about you."
"I loved Miguel."
"You loved how Miguel made you feel. We both know that you and I are the more compatible pair."
Hermione laughed. "So what are you saying? That I was married to Miguel while secretly wishing I'd married his vain and arrogant brother?"
"I know you've thought about it. Don't deny it. All those times that Miguel didn't live up to your expectations and I was there, commiserating with you, encouraging you, the thought went through your mind that you should have married me."
"I hate to disappoint you, but no, that thought never entered my mind." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Tell me. What are you hoping to accomplish here? Do you think that by insulting and berating me that I'll suddenly realise my love for you?"
"No, the question is, and has been since you walked through that door, what are you doing here?" He moved closer to her. "Why did you come if you hold me in such low regard?" he whispered.
"I came to put a stop to this nonsense."
"Really?" he asked, running his finger down her jaw. "You see, I think you want me to kiss you. I think you are still not sure about the dragon slayer. You tell yourself you are, but if you were, you wouldn't have walked through that door."
"There are two things I am sure about. One is my love for Harry. The other is that the only reason you want me, that you've ever wanted me, is because you can't have me. Why now? You've had plenty of time to make your move and you chose now. I'll tell you why; because I'm unavailable. You, Andres, are a coward." She pushed past him, toward the door.
Later she would laugh at the melodrama that unfolded. In fact, she would read the exact scene on page 292 in Lavender Brown's twenty-first romance novel and wonder if Andres had a penchant for trashy romance that he kept hidden.
He grabbed her hand and yanked her back into his arms before capturing her mouth with his. It wasn't a sweet kiss or even a passionate kiss. It was a kiss full of anger and frustration: the kiss of a petulant boy who wasn't getting his way. She felt the ridges of his teeth through his lips. His tongue had forced its way into her mouth and was darting around before she realised what was happening. Her disgust abated as she tasted a hint of Miguel and a pang of hidden longing for her husband stabbed her heart. She clamped her jaws together, her teeth coming down hard on his slippery tongue. The next thing she tasted was blood.
"Son of a bitch!" he said, pushing her away and dabbing at his tongue with his hand. A streak of red painted his finger and dribbled down his bottom lip. "That was uncalled for."
"You are a fool, Andres. I don't want you. I never have and I never will. It ends right here."
"It ends when I say it ends," he yelled.
"You have a choice," Hermione continued. "You can let this go or not. But what you choose will determine whether or not you see Daniel again."
His face went ash white. It was a low blow, she knew it, but it was the only thing she had. "You can't do that."
"Watch me." Hermione crossed her arms. "I'm not going to spend the rest of my life worrying about how you are going to try to sabotage Daniel's and my happiness."
"Daniel will never accept Harry as his father," Andres said with scorn.
"I don't expect him to, and neither does Harry. But, they won't be able to have any kind of relationship if you are standing in the middle trying to exert a hold on him out of a sense of responsibility to Miguel."
"I do have a responsibility to him. And you! Miguel was my brother! I promised to take care of you as if you were my family."
Hermione paused a beat before saying, "We're moving to England."
His eyes widened in shock. "What?"
"We're moving."
He stared at her with a blank expression of disbelief on his face before dropping heavily into a nearby chair. "You…you can't."
Hermione sat down on the adjacent sofa and crossed her legs. "I have to. This isn't my home. My friends aren't here. My family."
"I'm your family," he said, a tinge of desperation in his voice. "You are my family."
"Andres, listen to me. I have no friends here. Our friends were Miguel's friends. You are my only friend. You have been great, wonderful, but nothing more will come of it. We will always be what we are, brought together by marriage, but with no real connection. I need more. You need more. I've found more," she whispered.
He covered his mouth with his hand and looked away. His anguish, and that was the only word for it, took her by surprise. For the first time, Hermione wondered if she hadn't read the situation, his feelings, incorrectly. She didn't doubt her feelings for him, but this wasn't the reaction of a man that simply wanted something because he couldn't have it. She didn't know what to say.
They sat in silence, each avoiding looking at the other. "Does Daniel know?"
"That we are moving? No. I wanted him to get used to the idea of us dating first. I suppose I'll need to tell him now."
"I won't tell him, Hermione. You don't need to worry about that."
"Thanks, but I might as well get it over with. Maybe it will be better if he has a few months to get used to the idea."
He turned to look at her. "Would you be moving if it wasn't for Harry?"
She nodded. "I've wanted to move since after Miguel died. I waited because I knew Daniel didn't need any more drastic life changes. Being with Harry has made me realise how much I miss England and my old friends."
He nodded and looked down. "When?"
"I don't know. I don't have a job there, or a place to live."
He turned to face her. "Won't you live with Harry?"
It was on the tip of her tongue, to tell him the extent of their plans, but instead she said, "Eventually."
He nodded and she knew that he understood. "Well, I will give you a perfectly dreadful recommendation."
She smiled, relieved that he was at least attempting to resume his usual bantering demeanor with her. "I expected no less."
She stood, grabbed her handbag and walked to the door. Her hand on the knob, she said, "Andres…"
"Don't say it. We both know you don't mean it."
She opened the door and heard him continue. "I lied about Healer Sampedro."
"I know," she replied, walking out the door and closing it with a soft click.