You Found Me - The Fray
Lost and insecure
You found me, you found me
Blood was on the floor
Where were you? Where were you?
Just a little late
You found me, you found me
Always right on time
And so I wait for you
Answer this
Every time I turn around
Something else
Was on its way to break it down
Far from home
I do feel on my very own
Two feet alone
On the corner of first and amistad
"Harry!" Elinore exclaimed. "How's Hermione? Is she there?"
"I was wondering if you might like to meet your granddaughter?" Harry asked.
He heard Elinore's breath catch.
"Can you be ready in a couple of hours?" Harry asked her.
"Yes," Elinore said. "Absolutely."
"I'll pick you up then," Harry told her.
"Thank you," Elinore said. "Thank you so much, Harry."
Harry clicked off his mobile again and wondered if he had just made a colossal mistake. This could blow up in his face.
It could be his last chance, if Hermione and Bella were indeed leaving.
At the end of the school day, Hermione was sitting at her desk grading some papers while Bella did her homework. Hermione knew the little girl was worried about Billy and Hermione wished she could do something to take her daughter's mind off of her troubles.
"I finished my homework," Bella announced. "Can I colour?"
"Of course you can," Hermione said.
Bella set aside her school work and pulled out her colouring book.
"We'll only be here a little while," Hermione said. "I just have a few papers to grade."
"I'm going to colour one for Billy," Bella announced.
"I'm sure he'll love that." Hermione told her.
Bella pulled out her crayons and started to colour. A few moments later there was a knock on the door. Bella stood up to answer it.
"Harry," Bella said smiling at him. He was standing with an older lady she didn't recognise.
She was startled when her mother gasped and dropped her stack of papers. "Mum?"
Elinore Granger could only nod as tears fell down her cheeks.
Hermione only stared, she was too stunned to speak or react in any way.
Bella turned around. "Mummy?"
"Hermione," Elinore advanced into the room. "Sweetheart... it's been so long."
"W-what are you doing here?" Hermione finally managed to ask.
"Harry contacted me and brought me here," Elinore turned her gaze on the little girl looking up at her curiously.
"Mummy?" Bella asked looking at Hermione.
Hermione shakily got to her feet. She put a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Bella, this is...this is your grandmother, Elinore."
"I didn't know I had a grandmother," Bella said, straying to her mother's side shyly.
Elinore smiled at her. "Hello, Isabella. I've been waiting so long to meet you."
"Hi," Bella whispered.
Elinore looked at Hermione. "She looks just like you did when you were that age."
"I know," Hermione said softly. She looked at her mother and her eyes filled with tears.
"Oh, Hermione," Elinore said stepping closer. She held open her arms.
Hermione rushed into them, feeling much like Bella's age as her mother hugged her.
"My sweet girl," Elinore said holding her daughter tightly. "I've missed you so much."
"I missed you too," Hermione's words were muffled as she pressed her face into her mother's shoulder.
Harry stood back and smiled as he watched their reunion. Bella walked over to him. "That's really my grandma?"
"Yes it is," Harry told her. "She's a very lovely woman."
"I always wanted a grandmother," Bella said thoughtfully.
"She's here now and you have all afternoon to get to know her," Harry said.
"That's okay, isn't it?" Elinore asked her daughter.
Hermione nodded, wiping her eyes.
Bella smiled and looked up at the woman. She wasn't sure what to call her.
Elinore knelt down. "I can tell you a bunch of stories about your mother when she was a little girl just like you."
"You can?" Bella asked interestedly.
"Absolutely," Elinore grinned. She couldn't get over how much Bella looked like Hermione. She had missed so much of her granddaughter's life.
"We can go back to the house," Hermione said. "Tilly will fix us something for dinner."
"I'd love that," Elinore said softly. "More than anything."
Hermione looked over at Harry. "Thank you," she whispered to him.
He nodded in response.
"Will you join us?" she asked him softly.
His first inclination was to say no. He knew that Hermione needed this time with her mother, but he saw the way she was looking at him. He had never been able to say no to that face. "Are you sure?" he asked.
"You did this," Hermione said. "You... you did all this. For me."
"You're my best friend," Harry said. "I'd do anything for you."
Hermione bit her lower lip. "Please come," she said.
Harry nodded. "I'd love to."
The four of them left the school. "Mummy, I wish we could have brought Billy with us," Bella said.
"Next time, sweetheart," Hermione said. She looked over at her mother. "Billy's Bella's best friend."
"I see," Elinore smiled at her granddaughter.
"How's Daddy?" Hermione asked.
"He's fine," Elinore said. "Out of town, actually... or I'm sure he'd be here as well. He misses you so much, Hermione. We both do."
Hermione squeezed her mother's hand.
It didn't take them long to get to the Conaghan house and Hermione instructed Tilly as to what to prepare for dinner.
Bella was still a little shy where Elinore was concerned and she kept sneaking glances at the older woman.
"I bet your grandmother would love to see your room," Harry suggested.
"Very much," Elinore said to the little girl.
Bella glanced over at her mother to make sure this was okay.
"Go ahead, love." Hermione said.
"My room's upstairs," Bella said.
"I'll follow you," Elinore told her.
Bella took Elinore's hand.
Hermione felt tears welling up in her eyes as she watched them go upstairs.
"I wanted to surprise you," Harry said when they were gone.
"You did," Hermione said, sitting down. "I didn't really know how much I missed her until I saw her. We---we didn't always get along, you know? They didn't understand about magic and they wanted me to be like them."
Harry nodded. "I understand that."
"I can't believe you actually did this," Hermione said.
Harry shrugged. "I thought you might enjoy it."
This was quite simply the nicest thing anyone had done for her in a long time. Hermione did not even know what to say to thank him.
"Just enjoy tonight," Harry said knowing what she was thinking.
"I think I can do that," Hermione replied.
"Good," Harry smiled at her for the first time that day.
He sat down beside her and Hermione felt better than she had in days.
He wasn't sure what else to say to Hermione. She seemed to be comfortable enough with him to sit in silence at the moment.
Upstairs, Bella was introducing her grandmother to all of her stuffed animals.
"This one is Rocky," Bella said holding up her teddy bear. "Mummy gave him to me when I was just a baby."
Elinore smiled. "You know what?"
"What?" Bella asked, hugging the teddy bear to her.
"I gave your mother that same teddy bear when she was a baby," Elinore said. "You've taken such good care of it."
"This was Mummy's?" Bella asked, her eyes growing large. "Really?"
"That's right," Elinore replied.
Bella grinned. "Wow."
"I'm so glad she gave it to you," Elinore said softly.
"Me too," Bella said. She noticed that Elinore was starting to cry. "Don't be sad."
"I'm not sad, darling," Elinore said. "I've wanted to meet you for so long..."
"Me?" Bella asked. "But I'm not that special...that's what my daddy says."
Shock crossed Elinore's features. "He said what?"
Bella shrugged. "That I'm not that special. I don't think he likes me very much."
"Oh sweet girl," Elinore hugged her granddaughter. "You are so, so special."
"That's what Mummy says," Bella said resting her head on Elinore's shoulder.
Elinore patted the little girl's back. "You and your mother are the most special girls in the world."
Bella grinned. She liked having a grandmother.
"Why don't you show me more of the house?" Elinore asked her.
"Okay," Bella said. "Do you want to see the library?"
"I would love to," Elinore took her hand.
"We have soooooo many books," Bella told her. "Thousands and thousands."
"I'm sure you do," Elinore said. "Your mother always did love to read."
"Do you like to read, too?" Bella asked.
"Very much," Elinore nodded.
Bella led the way into the library. "I didn't know you knew Harry."
"He was friends with your mother a long time ago," Elinore said.
"Best friends," Bella corrected.
"Right," Elinore smiled.
Elinore could not help but marvel at her granddaughter. Bella pointed out some of her favourite books on the shelves. She seemed so grown up for such a little girl. Elinore could not believe that Damian had thought that this little girl was anything but special.
"Mum?" Hermione said. "Bella? We're about to eat."
"I'm starving," Bella told Elinore as they walked downstairs.
"I'm hungry too," he said.
"You have a lovely home, Hermione," Elinore told her daughter. "Bella was a fantastic tour guide."
"Thanks Mum," Hermione said.
"She's also quite the student," Harry told Elinore. "Top marks in her class."
"Like mother like daughter," Elinore was unable to take her eyes off either of them.
Hermione reached over and squeezed Bella's hand. "She's the most important person in my life."
"As it should be," Elinore said as Bella led them all into the dining room.
"This looks amazing," Harry said to Tilly.
"Thank you Monsieur," Tilly nodded her head.
"Harry told me that Damian was away on business," Elinore said conversationally as they all sat down.
"In the states," Hermione nodded. "He's consulting on a case at a hospital there."
"That's very prestigious," Elinore commented. She had always thought very highly of Damian Conaghan until he'd taken her daughter away and cut off all contact between them. Her dislike grew even more when she remembered what Bella had told her earlier.
"Yes well..." Hermione forced a smile to her face. "He's a very talented doctor. We're lucky for that."
"Lucky," Elinore said. "I'd say he was the lucky one."
"I don't do that much--" Hermione began.
"You're the best teacher in that school," Harry interjected. "You care about each and every one of those children and you put in extra hours even when you're ready to collapse."
Hermione looked down, her face red.
Elinore smiled at Harry.
"The children there really love her," Harry said, gazing at Hermione.
Hermione looked up and met his gaze. "You're the one who has really turned things around."
"With your help," Harry countered.
"Sounds like the two of you make a great team," Elinore said softly.
Hermione looked at Harry and blushed again. "Yes... well... we already knew that," she murmured.
Harry smiled. "I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for her."
"How come?" Bella piped up.
"Um, well," Hermione stammered.
"I had a habit of getting into trouble when we were at school," Harry told Bella. "Your mum...she saved me more than a few times."
"What did you do?" Bella was intrigued.
"Well," Harry said trying to choose his words carefully. "There was this big...dog, you could say. She, Ron and I were in a room we weren't supposed to be in and---"
Hermione laughed. "I beg your pardon. I was where I was supposed to be. You and Ronald, however..."
"A big dog?" Bella asked. "I love dogs!"
"You wouldn't have loved this one," Harry told her with a mischievous grin. "Very ferocious."
"Did it bite?" Bella inquired.
"It tried," Hermione remembered. "But we ran fast enough to get away."
"Wow," Bella was impressed.
Hermione grinned at the memory of it. "And as I remember, you and Ronald still thought of me as a bossy bookworm then. I believe Ron said I was 'mental'."
"We were pretty idiotic back then," Harry said sheepishly.
Elinore laughed. "I still remember getting letters from Hermione complaining about these two idiotic boys..."
Hermione smiled. "Little did I know..."
"Fluffy," Bella said suddenly. "That sounds like Fluffy. In the stories you told me, Mummy."
Harry and Elinore both stared at Hermione.
"Fluffy was guarding a precious stone," Bella explained to Elinore and Harry.
"You don't say?" Harry asked dryly.
Hermione coughed. "You know... sometimes you read these fairy tales..."
Harry grinned lazily at Hermione.
"But my favourite is the Buckbeak ones," Bella said happily. "Especially when the girl and boy are riding on his back and the girl is so scared but she felt safe because she was with her friend."
Hermione was so embarrassed she could hardly stand it. "Um..." she said standing up. "I'll go tell Tilly we're ready for the main course."
Harry winked at her as she walked past him. She wasn't so eager to forget the old days as she'd made it seem, he thought.
"I always loved Mummy's stories," Bella told her grandmother.
Elinore smiled at her granddaughter. "They sound very interesting, Isabella."
"I think she should write them for everyone," Bella said.
"That's a brilliant idea," Harry agreed.
"I'll tell her," Bella nodded.
Hermione came back into the dining room, her cheeks still red.
"Mummy," Bella said. "Me and Harry and Grandma think you should write your stories in a book."
Hermione sat down. "Oh, Bella. I don't think anyone would want to read those..."
"I would," Harry answered.
"Damian wouldn't allow it," Hermione argued.
"Why wouldn't he?" Elinore asked. "I should think he would be proud."
"Yes, well," Hermione hedged.
"You should pursue it," Harry told her.
"We'll see," Hermione said. She looked over at her mother. "Mum, how are things at the practise?"
"Fine," Elinore said. "Your father is busy all the time."
"What's he like?" Bella asked. "My grandpa?"
"He's a wonderful man," Elinore said. "You'll just love him."
Bella smiled. "Will he like me?"
"He's loved you your whole life," Elinore told her. "As have I."
Bella looked thoughtfully at her grandmother. "But, you don't know me."
"That doesn't matter," Elinore said.
Hermione felt tears welling up in her eyes.
"I'm sorry," Hermione whispered.
"It's not time to rehash that right now," Elinore said.
"Right," Hermione agreed, wiping at her eyes.
Elinore looked at Harry. "So whatever happened to that Ronald Weasley?"
"He's teaching at our school," Harry told her.
Elinore raised an eyebrow.
Hermione had to laugh at that. "That was my reaction as well, Mum. But, Harry says he's quite good."
"He is," Harry said. "I've seen him in action."
Elinore laughed. "I guess he's grown up."
Harry shook his head. "I wouldn't go that far, Dr. Granger."
Hermione smiled as she remembered her red haired friend. Perhaps if Damian stayed away longer, she could have Harry arrange for a proper meeting this time.
Harry stayed quiet most of the time as he let the three generations of Granger women interact. Elinore told Hermione stories about old neighbours and old patients while Hermione told her mother about some of her students.
He noticed Bella starting to nod off after they had finished dessert. "Did you want me to put her to bed for you?" he asked Hermione.
"Thanks," Hermione said gratefully.
He easily lifted the little girl. "I'll take my time," he said.
Hermione smiled. "Thank you, Harry."
Bella woke up as Harry brought her into the bedroom.
She smiled sleepily at him. "Bedtime?"
"That's right," Harry said. "Want to tell me where your pyjamas are?"
Bella pointed over to her dresser. "First one."
"All right," Harry said, getting a pink nightgown. "This one okay?"
Bella nodded. "That's my favourite one!"
"Good," Harry handed it to her. "I'll wait out here while you change."
Bella walked into her bathroom.
"Harry, I like having a grandma," Bella called out to him.
"I'm sure you do," Harry replied.
After changing into her pyjamas, Bella brushed her teeth. Her father had never once tucked her in or put her to bed. It was quite different to have someone other than her mother do it, but Bella didn't mind.
"Want me to read you a story?" Harry offered.
Bella nodded and grabbed her teddy bear before she got under the covers.
"Let's see," Harry looked at Bella's large book shelf.
Bella looked thoughtfully at him, wondering what it would be like to have him as a father.
Harry picked out a book of fairy tales. "You tell me which ones you like and I'll read them to you."
"How about Little Red Riding Hood?" Bella asked finding it in the book and handing it to him.
"Sure," Harry agreed.
Downstairs, Hermione was washing dishes with her mother. She had given Tilly the rest of the night off.
"This brings back memories," Elinore said smiling at her daughter. "We used to have some of our best talks doing dishes."
Hermione nodded. "Yes we did."
"Bella said something quite troubling earlier," Elinore said.
Hermione paled. "She did?" she asked, trying to sound normal.
Elinore nodded. "She said that she didn't think her father liked her very much."
Hermione was silent.
"I watched Damian Conaghan grow up," Elinore said. "He always seemed so perfect. He attended the best schools. He always said the right thing. When you told me you were falling for him, I was over the moon."
"I thought things would be so perfect," Hermione said quietly.
"So did I," Elinore said turning off the tap. "And then he took you away to Paris and we never heard from you again. We'd send letters, but they always came back unopened.
"You sent me letters?" Hermione asked.
"And cards for Christmases and birthdays," Elinore replied.
"I never got them," Hermione said quietly.
"So I figured," Elinore said, shaking her head.
Hermione looked at her mother and was suddenly unable to keep everything inside. She burst into tears, covering her face with the dish towel.
Elinore put her hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Come here, love."
Hermione allowed her mother to embrace her and she sobbed into Elinore's shoulder.
"It's going to be okay," Elinore said softly. "I promise."
"It will never be okay," Hermione said in a shuddery voice. "I'm a terrible person."
Elinore pulled back to look at her daughter. "Hermione, you're not a terrible person. Why would you say something like that?"
"Because of what I've done," Hermione said. "Because of me, Bella has to live like this."
"Live like what?" Elinore asked gently.
Hermione shook her head.
"Tell me," Elinore pleaded. "Tell me and let me help."
"No one can help," Hermione wiped at her eyes.
"What has he done?" Elinore asked. "What has he done to you, love?"
"He hits me," Hermione confessed in a whisper.
Elinore gasped. "Hermione..."
"It started just after we moved to Paris," Hermione said. "I always thought it was my fault... something I did."
Elinore shook her head. "No, Hermione. There's nothing you could do that would warrant him hitting you."
Hermione didn't look at her mother. "When I became pregnant I thought things would change..."
Elinore barely managed to ask the next question. "Has he...has he...Bella?"
Hermione shook her head. "I'd die before I let that happen."
"You don't have to take this," Elinore said indignantly. "You and Bella can move out. You could stay with your father and me."
Hermione shook her head. "If it were that easy... I'd have left so long ago."
Elinore embraced her daughter again. "Your father and I will find a good attorney..."
"I signed over all my rights," Hermione said. "I was so stupid..."
Elinore gaped at her.
"If I left him, he would keep Bella," Hermione said.
"I can't believe this," Elinore said. "Oh, Hermione---"
"I've ruined her life as well as mine," Hermione said miserably.
Elinore cupped Hermione's face in her hands. "No, you haven't. We're going to find some way out of this, Hermione."
"It's impossible," Hermione said.
Elinore hugged her tightly. "Sweetheart, we'll find a way out of it."
"I've tried," Hermione said.
"You've consulted an attorney?" Elinore asked.
"In secret," Hermione nodded.
Elinore listened patiently while her daughter told her what the attorney had told her. The contract was legally binding and iron-clad. There was absolutely no way out of it.
"I don't know what to do," Hermione said. "I had pretty much resigned myself to this life when suddenly Harry shows up. Everything's different now."
"He looked for you for so very long," Elinore said. She looked down at the floor. "He's such a good man, Hermione. I can't believe your father and I didn't see it before. We thought he was too dangerous. If we'd only known..."
"I was a fool for leaving Hogwarts," Hermione admitted. "But I was so hurt that they didn't take me with them..."
"And now?" Elinore asked.
"I... don't know." Hermione said.
"He loves you," Elinore said softly.
Hermione glanced at her. "He told me that."
"Does he know about this?" Elinore asked.
Hermione nodded.
"And he knows about the contract?" Elinore asked.
"I have never told anyone about that until now," Hermione said softly.
"You and Bella don't deserve this," Elinore said. "Not at all."
"She doesn't," Hermione said. "I do, for signing that stupid contract."
"You didn't realise what you were signing, Hermione," Elinore argued. "My sweet girl. We will find a way out of this. I promise you that."
"It's impossible--" Hermione began.
"Nothing's impossible," Elinore interjected, giving her another hug.
Hermione buried her face in her mother's shoulder.
Elinore held her daughter for a long time.
"I should go and check on Bella and Harry," Hermione said. "Why don't you make some tea?"
"Sure," Elinore nodded.
Hermione walked upstairs. She had longed to tell someone about this for such a long time.
It made her feel slightly better, but still didn't help her situation. And Hermione realised just how much she was dreading Damian's homecoming, whenever that was.
She opened Bella's bedroom door and saw her daughter and Harry fast asleep. Her daughter's head was Harry's shoulder and she looked content and happy. Hermione leaned against the doorframe and watched them.
Bella was the only thing about her life that she wouldn't have redone. Tiptoeing in, she picked up Bella's clothing and put it in the basket in the closet, then went and gently touched Harry's shoulder.
"Harry?" Hermione whispered.
Harry jerked awake but Bella remained asleep. "What?" he asked.
"You fell asleep," Hermione said softly.
"Oh," Harry said. "Sorry..."
"It's okay," Hermione whispered. "It gave my mum and me a chance to talk."
Harry carefully slid away from Bella and gently pulled the covers up around her.
Hermione leaned over and kissed her daughter's cheek.
"I was reading to her and I think I tired both of us out," Harry said, returning the book of fairy tales to the shelf.
Hermione laughed. "Surely you're not that boring and stodgy?"
"Maybe," he smiled back as they left the bedroom.
Hermione impulsively hugged him. "Thank you for today."
"I was hoping you wouldn't be angry about it," he confessed, his arms sliding around her.
"I know why you did it," Hermione said softly. "And it was just what I needed."
"Good," he said.
"We had a really nice talk," Hermione said, not ready to let go of him yet.
"I'm sure it was long overdue," Harry said, happy she wasn't pulling away.
"Like a lot of things," Hermione whispered.
Harry pulled away to look at her. "Like what?"
Hermione touched his cheek. "Me saying thank you, for one."
"You don't have to thank me," Harry told her.
Hermione could not believe they were here like this when just a couple of nights ago she was telling him that they couldn't be together.
"I want to," Hermione argued. "I need to."
"I just want you to be happy," Harry told her.
"I want the same for you," Hermione said. "I always have."
Harry nodded. "We have a lot to talk about, don't we?"
Hermione wanted to tell him what she'd told her mother.
"Whenever you want to," Harry added.
"It's no use," Hermione said looking down.
"Don't say that," Harry said softly.
He took his hand and tilted her chin up so she'd look at him.
"What are you doing?" Hermione asked, swallowing the lump in her throat.
"What I've wanted to do all day," Harry whispered, leaning in.
Hermione closed her eyes as Harry's lips neared hers.
"Hermione!" Elinore called. "I have the tea ready!"
Hermione pulled away. "We'd better go downstairs."
"Right," Harry nodded.
Hermione gave him a slight smile. She knew what had almost happened and what made her hate herself even more was how bad she had wanted him to kiss her.
Harry put his hand on the small of her back and walked down behind her.
Elinore smiled at them. "I found some biscuits in the cupboard as well."
"Tilly must have gone shopping," Hermione said.
"Bella's asleep then?" Elinore asked.
Harry nodded. "She was out pretty quick."
The three of them sat down at the kitchen table. "She's lovely, Hermione. Absolutely lovely."
"She's the reason I exist," Hermione said. "The best thing I've ever had a part of."
"I cannot wait for your father to meet her," Elinore said reaching across the table for her daughter's hand. "He's going to spoil her rotten."
Hermione smiled sadly.
Harry looked over at Elinore. "I think you'll have a hand in that, as well."
"Undoubtedly," Elinore said. "But Hermione... Bella said some troubling things to me earlier."
Hermione wished her mother would not say these things in front of Harry. "Like what?"
"That Damian tells her she's not special," Elinore said. "It's not only that, Hermione. You two left, got married in secret and we never saw you again."
Harry's fist clenched. Just when he thought it wasn't possible to hate Damian Conaghan more, he found out something else.
Hermione sighed. "Mum... it's complicated okay?"
"I as just thinking about how him saying those things to her can affect her," Elinore said. "Verbal abuse is just as harmful, Hermione."
"He hardly says anything to Bella," Hermione replied quietly.
Elinore only shook her head in response.
"You don't know, okay?" Hermione asked. "Neither of you do!"
"I only want to help you," Elinore said gently.
"So do I," Harry interjected.
"Then quit acting like you know what this is like for me!" Hermione retorted.
Harry and Elinore both stared at her.
"I'm sorry," Hermione said quietly. "I didn't mean to get angry. It's just---it's just..."
"You can talk to us," Elinore said gently.
"It's late," Hermione said wiping at her eyes.
"I don't want to leave you alone with him," Elinore said. "If your father knew--"
"You can't tell Dad," Hermione said pleadingly.
"How can I not say anything?" Elinore said.
Hermione could not tell her mother about other things Damian threatened to do. He could even ruin her father's career. Damian had made sure he had all his bases covered.
"If you do, we'll leave again," Hermione replied, her throat thick.
Elinore gaped at her. "Hermione!"
"So don't say a word," Hermione said. "Not to anyone."
"You don't have to worry, Elinore," Harry promised the older woman. "I'm not going to let anything happen to Hermione or to Bella."
"Thank you," Elinore said quietly.
"Harry, can you take my mother home?" Hermione asked. "It's late and I'm knackered."
"I want to see you again," Elinore said.
"I'd love that," Hermione said. "And I'm sure Bella would, too."
"Good," Elinore embraced her daughter tightly. "No matter what you do or you did... I'll always love my girl."
Hermione fought off her tears. "I love you too, Mum."
Elinore smiled and smoothed back her daughter's hair.
Hermione put on a brave face for her mother. "Give Dad my love."
"I will," Elinore said.
"Remember what you promised," Hermione said. "Please."
Elinore nodded reluctantly.
Hermione looked over at Harry. "Thank you again."
Harry nodded. "See you at the school."
"Right," Hermione agreed. "Good night, Harry."
"Night," he said, leading Elinore out.
Elinore did not say another word to Harry the entire way home. He had Apparated them both back to her home in London.
"She told you what he's done?" Harry guessed.
"Yes," Elinore said tightly.
Harry closed the front door and watched while Elinore went through the motions of turning on the lights. "I meant what I said. I'm going to protect them."
"Someone does," Elinore replied. "Damn it!"
"Did she tell you why she won't leave him?" Harry asked.
Elinore nodded. "But she swore me not to tell. It's not my place..."
"Dr. Granger. If you know something, you can tell me. I want to help her," Harry said, trying to keep his own emotions in check.
"She has to tell you," Elinore said. "I'm sorry Harry. You've done so much for me tonight... but this is hers to tell."
Harry groaned in frustration. If he had to wait for Hermione to tell him it might be too late.
"Just stay with her Harry," Elinore begged. "Please. She needs you even if she doesn't know it yet."
"I couldn't stay away even if I wanted to," Harry replied.
"Thank you," Elinore grasped his hands.
Harry smiled at her. "You finally met your granddaughter."
Elinore's eyes filled with tears. "She's everything I thought she would be."
"She's a brave little girl," Harry said.
"She would have to be," Elinore replied.
Harry told her how Bella had confessed to him about what Damian had done to her mother.
"A child should not have to see that," Elinore said angrily.
"I couldn't agree more," Harry said. "Which is why I made sure that Damian Conaghan was called out of the country on a case."
"You did that?" she asked.
Harry nodded. "I called in a favour from an old friend."
"How long will he be gone?" Elinore asked.
"I'm not sure," Harry replied.
"I wish he'd never come back," Elinore said.
"I'll do everything I can to keep him away," Harry promised.
Elinore nodded. "We'll keep in touch."
"Absolutely," Harry promised.
Elinore hugged him. "Thank you."
"I never thought I'd see the day when you'd be hugging me," Harry said.
Elinore smiled. "Never really thought it would happen..."
Harry laughed. "I'm not that bad when you get to know me."
"Definitely not," Elinore replied.
"Good night, Dr. Granger," Harry said.
"See you soon, Harry." Elinore said.
Elinore walked him to the door. After a quick goodbye hug, he was gone. Elinore wished Robert were here so she could talk to him. He would help her make sense of this, but she had promised Hermione she would not say anything.
She only hoped Harry could help her daughter before it got too late.
Elinore walked into the sitting room and picked up the photograph of her daughter. Hermione was sixteen years old then and ready to take on the world.
"What happened to you, baby?" Elinore asked the photo.
Elinore remembered the summer before Hermione's sixth year at Hogwarts. She and Robert had spent the first few days of the summer holiday trying to convince their daughter to give up her life as a witch. Not a fortnight into the holiday, Hermione had announced she was spending the rest of the vacation with the Weasleys at the home of some character named Sirius Black.
"Absolutely not," Robert had told her over dinner. "We're going on that cruise."
"I am not!" Hermione declared. "Harry needs me!"
"I'm sure he can get through a few weeks without you," Robert said dismissively.
"No," Hermione shook her head. "He can't."
"Need I remind you that you were gravely injured not too long ago," Elinore pointed out. "At that Ministry of yours. I can't believe that headmaster of yours just allowed you to leave like that. You could have been killed, Hermione!"
"Someone was killed," Hermione reminded her. "Harry's godfather."
Robert and Elinore both gaped at her.
"Which is why I'd rather be with him than on some cruise," Hermione said. "He needs Ron and me. Now more than ever."
Robert ignored this. "He could have gotten YOU killed!"
"I can take care of myself," Hermione said quietly.
"No, you can't," Robert said tersely.
Hermione resisted the urge to roll her eyes at this. "I have top marks in all my classes. Harry himself taught us self-defence last term."
Elinore also shook her head. "Hermione, we weren't happy about this whole... witchcraft thing... and we don't think you have a future in it."
"I'm not giving it up," Hermione told her.
"Hermione Jane," Robert began. "We are not paying for--"
"I'm going," Hermione said pushing back from her chair. "And there's nothing you can do to stop me."
"You're not an adult just yet Hermione!" Robert said angrily.
"Mr. Weasley will be here at seven," Hermione announced. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to pack."
"Hermione!" Robert exclaimed.
Hermione ignored them and walked out of the dining room. Elinore looked at Robert. "It's just for the summer. Perhaps, we could indulge her this once."
"I don't know," he said doubtfully. "I have a strange feeling about this..."
"She's never listened to reason where that boy is concerned," Elinore said shaking her head.
"I have half a mind to keep her upstairs and tell them to go on without her," Robert said.
"She's run away in the middle of the night," Elinore said. She wondered where her smart, sweet, dutiful daughter had gone. In her place was this sullen, insolent, stubborn girl who refused to see any way but her own.
Robert sighed. "I don't know what else to do."
"The headmaster has assured us that Hogwarts is safe," Elinore said, but her words seemed hollow even to her ears.
"This magic stuff," Robert muttered under his breath. "A lot of nonsense if you ask me."
"When this is all over, she'll come to see that her place is at a proper university," Elinore said firmly. "I know she will."
"I hope you're right, Ellie." Robert said.
Elinore stood up. "I'll go and talk to her."
Robert grunted.
Elinore found her daughter in her bedroom furiously packing her belongings into her trunk. Her cat, Crookshanks was sitting on her bed watching Hermione's every move.
"Do you need any help?" Elinore asked.
"I think I've got it," Hermione said tossing a few jumpers onto the pile of things in her trunk.
"Will you be back before you go to school?" Elinore asked. "Or are you going to stay there the entire summer?"
"I'll probably be there," Hermione said. "Harry needs me, Mum. He's just lost nearly everyone who's important to him."
"Hermione," Elinore said sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Your loyalty is one of your best qualities, but I can't help but wonder if he would do the same for you."
"Of course he would," Hermione said.
"You always have been blind where he's concerned," Elinore said quietly.
"Because he's my best friend," Hermione said testily.
"And if it gets you killed?" Elinore asked.
"It won't." she said.
"You don't know that, Hermione," Elinore argued. "You are our only daughter. If anything happened to you..."
"Nothing is going to happen to me," Hermione said confidently.
Elinore sighed. "Hermione..."
"Look Mum," Hermione said in a softer tone. "I know you and dad worry... but really. I can handle myself. I'm the only one that really looks after Harry."
"He has that---Ronald," Elinore tried to argue.
"Ron can hardly look after himself," Hermione said disdainfully.
"So, I guess those two boys would fall apart if it weren't for you?" Elinore asked.
"Pretty much," Hermione answered.
Despite herself, Elinore smiled.
"It's not that I don't love you and dad," Hermione said. "But they need me."
"Do you promise that you'll take care of yourself?" Elinore asked pleadingly. "And that you'll write?"
"I promise," Hermione said.
Elinore hugged her daughter. "If anything happened to you..."
"Nothing will," Hermione swore.
Elinore looked ruefully at her daughter. "I love you, Hermione."
"Love you too Mum," Hermione hugged her again. "Everything will be fine, I promise."
Elinore looked down at the photograph of her daughter. "Everything's not fine," Elinore said hugging the frame to her.
She would do anything she could to get her daughter away from Damian Conaghan.