A/N: This story is about the relationship between a parent and child, and the sacrifices both are willing to make for the other. Above all this story is about love. Also mega thanks to my beta Vessy.
Privet Drive, was, as it had always been. The moon did nothing else but sit lazily in the sky, and the stars did no more glittering then usual. It was a night that could have been seen any other summer, and be forgotten quite easily.
For Harry Potter, this night would be one of the most important in his life. The unimportance of the sky before him burned into his brain forever.
Harry watched as the man, whose hand was gripping Harry's, slowly shut his eyes and lay there dead. He just recalled the promise he had made to the man, but how was he going to keep it? He was fifteen, and only a week into his vacation from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He would have to start his sixth year soon, but all that came crashing down in his one promise to a dead man.
There was one thing he knew he had to do whenever he didn't know the answer to something; ask Hermione.
Now all he had to do was find out where she lived and get there.
* * *
Hermione woke to a tapping noise coming from her window. She got up and opened the window to see Hedwig hoot at her.
She slowly, due to both lack of sleep and caution, took the note from Hedwig's leg. With a small flutter of her feathers Hedwig flew to Hermione's study desk.
Hermione opened the note to find Harry's handwriting telling her to "open your window, all the way.''
Hermione did as the note said and looked over it again to see if there were more, but there wasn't. Just as she thought Harry had finally snapped someone flew through her open window.
She started to scream but Harry put his hand over her mouth. Harry was there in the middle of the night. She took his hand away from her mouth, "Harry, what are you doing here?"
"I have a slight problem," Harry said earnestly.
"You could have written. I mean longer than 'open my window,' you scared me to death Harry."
"I don't think writing would have helped."
She was about to say something else to berate Harry, but she heard crying; and she knew for a fact it wasn't Harry.
Harry took a bundle that was tied to himself and began to rock it. But it wasn't just a bundle, it was a baby.
"That's a baby Harry!"
"Shh. I know it's a baby," he said as the baby quieted.
Hermione felt a blush creep onto her cheeks. "Is it your baby?"
"Yes," he rocked the bundle in his arms from side to side.
Hermione began to pace the room and began to think it over, it was impossible. Harry had only kissed Cho last year... but that would mean...
Hermione tried with all her might not to blush anymore, "Harry... you do know it does take more than kissing to... make a baby, right?"
"No, really, Hermione? Why don't you show me?" he said as he placed the baby on her bed.
"Well... I think this would be easier coming from Ron... When a witch and wizard like each other very much-"
"They bonk each other's brains out. I was being sarcastic Hermione."
"Right! Shhh, you need to be quiet! My parents will wake up and-"
"Your father will kill me."
Hermione stepped closer to Harry, "Mother actually."
"I wasn't the one yelling. Look, I need help."
"You need Dumbledore," Hermione nodded.
"The last thing I need is Dumbledore." Harry ran his hand through his hair, trying, without success, to tame it.
Hermione looked at him as though he had, in that moment, just become mentally challenged.
"Sorry, but from my own experience of where he just happens to leave babies I don't think that would be the best thing for her."
Hermione smiled at the sleeping baby, "Her?"
"Emily Stokes."
Hermione's brow furrowed, "We don't know any girls named Stokes."
"I don't know who her mother was," Harry shrugged.
"But you said she was yours!" Hermione squeaked.
Harry shushed her and shook his head, "I meant NOW she is. Her father died tonight." Hermione interjected with an 'oh Harry,' then he continued, "I made a promise to him. He asked me to promise to take care of her, no matter what, and I did. I... I can't give her up, even to a good family, I made a promise."
"What killed him?"
"He was shot; he was just a muggle." Harry unconsciously rubbed the hand the man's grip had been on.
Hermione sighed, "What are you going to do?"
"I don't know." Harry sat on the floor next to the Emily.
"Dumbledore won't let you keep her. He'll do something to make you give her up; you have no right to her. Er- no legal right. And we have no idea about the wizarding laws when it comes to these things."
"Shit creek, no paddle, got it," Harry said as he touched the baby's soft black hair.
"She's not a puppy Harry, there are laws about these things," Hermione crossed her arms in front of her.
"I wasn't being sarcastic."
"Oh," Hermione paused. "I don't know what to do."
Harry yawned, "That's okay."
* * *
Hermione's father opened the door to his daughter's room and peeked inside. He saw his daughter lying on her bed with many layers of clothes on while a baby slept next to her head and a boy was sleeping on the floor.
His fifteen year old daughter had a boy in her room, the only fact that comforted him was the baby.... no, that wasn't actually comforting at all.
"Good morning." Dr. Granger cleared his throat, "I don't know who you are, but please get out of my fifteen year old daughter's bedroom."
The boy woke, looked around, then began apologizing.
"I'm so sorry, sir. I didn't realize I fell asleep-"
"Dad," Hermione yawned, "please don't scare my friends to death. Harry and I go to school together and well... he has a large problem that comes in a small package."
"Exactly the reason I don't think I like him in my daughter's bedroom." Dr. Granger looked at the baby.
"She's not Harry's-"
"Yes she is!" Harry said.
"Not biologically. I need to talk to you and Mum." Hermione got up from the bed.
"I think we all need to talk, including your friend." Dr. Granger motioned for the boy to follow them.
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