What I Always Wanted
Chapter 16: The Clarity of Baby Names
Hermione Granger-Potter sat behind her desk drumming her fingers on the desk as she stared at the two open journals lying before her. It had been two days since Harry had broken into Agamennous Melbourne's house and nicked Priam's journal. And in that span of time the rush of excitement that came with finally being able to sort out the mysterious symbols and the motivations of the thought to be dead Isolde Melbourne had faded. In its place was a sense of unease Hermione could not shake no matter how hard she tried. At first she could hardly believe the happy coincidence of Harry getting into Melbourne's house unnoticed and finding the one thing that was bound to unlock all of the answers to their questions. But the more she had thought about it the more unlikely it seemed. How was it that Harry had managed to find the journal? Why wasn't it hidden away somewhere? And if Harry'd managed to find it why hadn't Agamennous Melbourne stumbled across it before?
When she'd voiced these concerns to Harry and Ron they had as they tended to do, downplayed her worries. Harry had explained that the journal hadn't been in plain sight lying on the coffee table in the lounge rom. It had been packed away alongside a cache of Priam's old school things in a dusty back corner of the attic. Harry reckoned that Melbourne had probably never realized what the journal truly was or the significance of it was. He and Ron were of the mind that Melbourne had probably as much insight into his children's lives and what they got up to as he did about the aurors under his command. Hermione wasn't as certain about that as Harry and Ron were. Something told her that Melbourne was a much better father than he was a boss, she also speculated that some of Melbourne's toughness as head of the auror department had to do with the loss of his own children so tragically. She was beginning to think that he purposely took the hard line in an effort to make sure that his young charges didn't veer too far off the chosen path.
And then there was the matter of Isolde. Everyone ought that she had taken her own life due to her grief over the loss of her brother and mother. But Harry, Hermione and Ron knew this wasn't the case considering that they'd seen evidence that suggested that Isolde was not dead. And if that was true, that Isolde was not dead, Priam's journal did nothing to answer the questions about his sister and who and what she had become. Harry had formed the notion that close as they were Isolde would have known that Priam was involved with the Obsidian Order. He also thought that Isolde blamed the Order for her brother's death and had faked her own death so that she could go after the organization that she believed had killed her brother. And while that did indeed seem likely Hermione couldn't help thinking that something was missing in Harry's theory.
Hermione sighed in exasperation and increased the tempo of her drumming fingers as she continued to stare at the open journals. As she sat lost in her thoughts the side door that led to the outer offices of the Department of Mysteries opened and in stepped Hermione's assistant Daphne Greenfendle. Daphne stared at her superior with a quizzical expression. Stepping fully into the room Daphne quietly called out to Hermione.
"Hermione…"
Pulled from her internal deliberations by the sound of her name, Hermione looked up and graced her assistant with a smile. It had taken months for her to convince Daphne to call her by her given name and cease with the formality of referring to her as Ms. Granger or Mrs. Granger-Potter. After all she was not even ten years older than the other girl and scarcely felt the need for titles and professional ceremony between them. Smiling, Hermione responded.
"Yes Daphne, was there something you needed?"
Shaking her head Daphne replied.
"No there's nothing I need…its just that its nearly half past two and according to your personal calendar you've an appointment with Healer O'Halleran at half past two."
It took a second for Hermione to process what Daphne had said. As she processed Daphne's words Hermione jumped awkwardly up from her desk in a panic. She rounded the desk as quickly as her gestating physique would allow. Seizing her cloak and her handbag from the coat rack by the door Hermione called out in exasperation.
"Oh bugger! It completely slipped my mind. I'll be late and Harry was supposed to meet me there!"
Leaning back across her desk Hermione grabbed both journals and her wand and shoved them inside her bag. Padding towards the door with Daphne close on her heels Hermione spoke.
"Daphne cancel all the appointments I booked for the remainder of this afternoon and be sure to put away those translations I've got to complete for Mr. Moore."
Daphne a hurried "Yes of course". Hermione muttered under her breath.
"Blast I'll never make it in time unless I apparate and I'll likely splinch myself in the process."
Daphne spoke up.
"Splinch yourself?"
Hearing the concern in her assistant's voice Hermione stopped and answered back saying.
"Well not actually splinch myself, its far more likely that I'd go crashing into a table or something like that."
Seeing the slightly confused look on Daphne's face Hermione added.
"Pregnancy tends to wreck havoc on one's ability to apparate properly."
Daphne offered an alternative.
"You could use the departmental floo."
Hermione considered the offer.
"I suppose I could but I'm not sure all that spinning would produce any improvements with my ability to remain erect."
"Oh…well what about side along…I could apparate you there."
"Daphne that's very sweet of you to offer but it won't be necessary…"
At the sound of Harry's voice both Hermione and Daphne turned around. Daphne was the first to speak.
"Hello Mr. Potter."
Harry replied.
"Hello Daphne and I thought we'd established that its Harry."
Daphne nodded in response as Hermione chimed in.
"Harry what are you doing here, you should be at Healer O'Halleran's office…"
Harry interjected.
"I was there and when I didn't see you I reckoned you'd lost track of time and so I came to fetch you."
Daphne spoke again.
"Speaking of…if you plan on making it back in time you've got about two minutes."
Harry wrapped an arm around Hermione's waist and looking at Daphne said.
"You're an absolute treasure. Once you lock up here take the rest of the day off."
With a wink and a grin Harry and Hermione disapparated with a pop. Daphne gave a chuckle as she turned and set about closing the office for the rest of the day.
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"Well it looks like we're about done here…unless you two have changed your minds and would like to know what you're having."
Healer Meagan O'Halleran stood before her most famous clients awaiting an answer. Harry ran a hand through his unruly raven locks, casting a sideways glance at his wife asked.
"You can tell whether it's a boy or a girl now?"
Meagan nodded.
"Hermione's finally reached the stage of the pregnancy where both her magical aura and that of the baby have calmed and one can be distinguished from the other."
Upon hearing that Hermione inquired.
"My magical aura has calmed…does that mean I'll be able to apparate without destroying innocuously placed furniture."
Meagan giggled as she answered.
"Any magical disruptions you've been experiencing should subside now that your aura's righted itself."
Hermione nodded then asked.
"And will my inability to focus improve as well."
Meagan shook her head as she answered back.
"I'm afraid that your inability to focus has less to do with your pregnancy and more to do with the hours you've been keeping at work."
Throwing her gaze in Harry's direction she added.
"I'd recommend a little more rest and relaxation."
Harry interposed into the conversation and said.
"I suppose its time to start thinking about taking off from work until our son makes his arrival, eh."
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"You have no proof that this baby is a boy, it could very well be a girl."
Harry shook his head at his wife's words.
"Ahh how quickly they forget. I've seen the future love, and that there is young master James Sirius Potter our darling angel Lily won't be with us for a few years yet."
Hermione rolled her eyes again as Meagan cut in. Holding her wand in one hand and a vial containing a pinkish purple potion in the other she said.
"I can settle this argument for you two once and for all. A sip of this and a wave of my wand will tell you for sure if it's a girl or a boy."
Hermione shook her head.
"Thank you for the offer Meagan but we want to be surprised."
Harry added in.
"She wants to be surprised. Won't bloody listen to a word I say."
Meagan laughed in earnest then.
"Alright if you two haven't got any other questions I'll see you in another three weeks."
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Harry strode into the bedroom clad in only a towel, his gaze fell upon his wife who was propped up in bed two journals lying in her lap. Harry crossed the room and stopped at Hermione's side. Reaching down he lifted the journals from her lap and tossed them across the room. Stunned by her husband's actions Hermione looked up and was about to ask Harry why he had done such a thing. But she never got the chance for at the exact moment that she looked at him Harry's lips met hers in a loving kiss. Hermione returned his kiss instinctively. Their kisses were tender and sweet as he pressed his body against Hermione's. Hermione moaned as Harry's hands began to trail across the familiar curves of her body. They pulled apart for an instant and Harry looked into Hermione's eyes and whispered the words "Gods you are so beautiful". Harry lowered his head and reclaimed her lips. Harry lightly pressed his lips to the throbbing pulse at the base of Hermione's neck and heard her moan his name. A faint smile flickered across his face as he began to trail kisses along her neck, Hermione allowed her hands to trail down Harry's body and slid them down the length of his body dislodging the towel from around his waist. Harry moved his hands underneath the nightshirt Hermione was wearing. He quickly rid her of her the thin material. Harry pulled Hermione closer into his arms and their lips met in a fiercely passionate kiss. Harry traced the seam of her lips with his tongue seeking entrance. Hermione granted his request and entwined her tongue with his while her slender hands roamed and caressed his back and shoulders. As the kiss deepened Harry rolled over onto his back pulling Hermione atop him. Hermione wrapped herself around Harry. Harry moaned lustfully and lost himself in the wondrous feeling of being with the woman he loved more than life itself.
Following their interlude Harry and Hermione lay in each other arms for quite some time oblivious to all else around them. Hermione turned closer into Harry's arms and snuggled deeper into his embrace. She turned her face towards her husband and tracing a finger along his jaw inquired.
"James Sirius, eh?"
Harry's response was a quizzical.
"Huh ?"
Hermione rephrased her query.
"This afternoon when we were at Meagan office and you reiterated your steadfast belief that the baby is a boy you called him James Sirius."
Harry expelled a breath.
"I guess I've always imagined that my first born son would bear the names of the two men who meant the most to me in this world."
Hermione interjected.
"And by the same token you imagine your daughter bearing the name of your mother."
Harry nodded.
"Yeah I suppose I have. Would it bother you having our children named after my mum and dad and Sirius?"
Hermione shook her head.
"It wouldn't bother me at all. I think its a lovely way to give our children a connection to their grandparents, a way for your family to live on through…"
Hermione suddenly left off what she was about to say. An expression of revelation spread across her face as she sat bolt upright in bed and said.
"Bloody hell…that's it…I don't know why I didn't see it before…its so obvious I don't know how I could have missed it before!"
Harry sat up confusion marring his face.
"Hermione what on earth are you on about?"
As the words left his mouth Hermione summoned Priam's journal and the collection of photographs that Harry had amassed while working the case. She simultaneously answered Harry's query.
"Something has been bugging me about this journal nearly from the moment you brought it home. It just didn't make sense that Priam would be so careless with something so vital. And with Melbourne being such a capable auror and all that he'd gone through to find out what happened to his son that he'd miss something as vital as a journal that could have explained everything. It just never made sense…until this very moment…until I said that naming the baby after your parents is a way to keep them alive."
Hermione flipped the journal to the pages that held the untranslated symbols. She then riffled through the photographs until she found one where the symbols were clearest. She held the two objects out to Harry and resumed speaking.
"Do you see…they're exactly the same…"
Harry stared at the symbols in the journal and in the photograph, his confusion was multiplied. Looking to Hermione he said.
"Yes they are the same symbols…that's why we need to figure out what they mean…"
Hermione cut across him. Jabbing her index fingers at both the journal and the photograph she exclaimed.
"No they are exactly alike!"
Harry refocused his attention o both sets of symbols. He stared intently for nearly a minute before he saw what Hermione meant. His eyes followed the loops, curls and straight lines of the symbols, cataloging each detail. He lifted his gaze and met the eyes of his wife. His voice was barely audible as he whispered.
"How can this be?"
Hermione replied saying.
"We had it all wrong…the same person who made the symbols in these photographs wrote this journal. And as Priam's dead that can only mean that the journal belongs to Isolde…"
Harry cut in.
"Which means that Priam wasn't the one who belonged to the Obsidian Order…it was Isolde…it was Isolde all the time."
A/N: I know its been ages. I hope this chapter was enough to gain a modicum of forgiveness.
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