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. . .
Andromeda was having a hard time. Her grandson was an adorable little boy that reminded her too much of her daughter; and it wasn't her fault that she couldn't be everything to him. But so far, she only knew of her son-in-law announcing Harry Potter was godfather to a room of five, and he was of no help. Harry Potter was spending his time being the kid he was never afforded. So even if he could, would he pull time away from whatever teenagers did to celebrate after a war? Andromeda remembered that Mclaggen boy who lost two fingers from the fireworks. What would Harry lose in his stupidity with those Weasley boys? Would she even want him to help raise her last connection to her daughter?
It took two more months and more grief before Andromeda finally admitted she needed help. There weren't many people she could ask who wouldn't give her pitying looks that she could call. It was an couple days after she decided to table her pride that she received an owl from Hermione.
Hermione Granger had been good friends with her daughter, even when Remus Lupin kept the girl at arm's length, they found ways to still communicate. She was there for Nymphadora when that man kept pushing her daughter away, finding empathy and patience for a man who ran away from her as much as her daughter. She knew Nymphadora wanted Hermione to be Teddy's godparent, and she still doesn't understand how Remus got his way without anything written down. Andromeda knew she taught her daughter to be more prepared than that.
"I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier." Hermione started talking as soon as she came through the front door. "I had some trouble after the final battle. I was trying to find my parents..."
The woman, barely of age, broke down. "I'm sorry. It's just been a hard few months. I kissed Ronald during the final battle, but when I told him I was just swept in the moment, he told all these lies to his family and they've shunned me! I didn't have anywhere else to go, Harry believed the lies too, and my parent's..."
Hermione's cries had gotten so bad that Andromeda couldn't do much to comfort her. After lots of shed tears and calming circles applied to her back, Andromeda learned that Hermione obliviated her parents after getting their permission, hoping moving them without their memories would save them.
"They never made it to the airport. They died before we went on the run, and I did such a good job on their memories there was no one to contact! We sold the house, their partners bought them out, and all the money went into their new names! And I don't have anything! I spent everything, sold everything, all to go to a country they never made it to!"
Andromeda didn't know what to say at the time, only to invite the woman to stay with her. The first week, they didn't see each other. Hermione stayed in her room save for calming Teddy whenever she could hear his cries. The next week, she left for a day, and when she returned she looked haggard.
"I had tried proving they were my missing parents before I came here. Only my mother's results matched. My father wasn't my biological father."
Andromeda levitated her into her room, and the sleeping Teddy didn't wake from the disturbance. She ended up moving his crib into her room as it was the only room her grandson didn't cry in. She had finally had some peace when she gave him one of his toys that somehow made its way to that room.
When Andromeda woke up, it was still quiet. She opened the door to Hermione's room and saw the woman's hand outstretched to the crib, fingers touching Teddy's blanket in her sleep.
. . .
"Do you think my biological father might be magical? The note in the safety deposit box said she assumed he died during a conflict. She never could find out what happened to him."
Hermione was mostly numb. There wasn't much of a reason for emotions. Her parents were dead. Her friends had either turned against her, or chose to stay silent thinking that wasn't essentially the same thing. She had used everything she had to her name and would lack shelter as soon as Andromeda turned on her. Everyone else in the magical world did, unless they were dead as well. The circle was ragged and imperfect, just like the scar on her chest that proved her not worthy of even the smallest bit of physical affection.
She had tried to do it, hide behind the drugs and alcohol some chaps had offered. They said it could take the pain away, then she realized that was only a line to get under her skirt. It hadn't mattered, the scar bisecting her breasts turned them off; even in the dark the feel of it stopped anyone from progressing.
Without money or ways to make money, she slowly made her way back to England, creating illegal portkeys and using apparition. Andromeda was truly the only one she felt safe going to, and was more than surprised to still have a place in her home.
"Would you like to go to Gringotts?" The thought made her flinch. "We could do a blood test here, but if it proves some connection you'd need the goblins to authenticate it." At least Andromeda explained why she'd say what didn't make sense at first.
When Hermione explained her reluctance, Andromeda was quick to explain what Harry had done, announcing in the press that he had paid restitution for himself and his friends.
"Didn't include me," she knew she didn't sound kind. "I was sent a bill as soon as I made it back."
"So you haven't gone through your account? They couldn't take from that at least?" It was an innocent question, Hermione guessed.
"I've never had an account." At her puzzled look, Hermione admitted not being informed that she could open an account. "Everyone I knew with one was Harry Potter or wizard raised; and when Professor McGonagall delivered my letter, she only informed us of the exchange services. I never used the bank for anything else, and no one ever explained any other services available to me."
Stunted conversations like that one were common; the two ate meals together, but Hermione kept herself out of sight. She spent most of her time with Teddy; something she felt compelled to do for more reasons than the memory of her best female friend or the spirit of paying Andromeda for her lodgings. Outside of that, she spent her time organizing all that the woman had to still work on.
It was about a month later she felt confident leaving the house and replying to the goblins. She had a little over half what they asked for when she was able to close the lone account left in her name in the muggle world. Hermione learned she was awarded an Order of Merlin Second Class while she was out of the country. There was supposedly a sum to go with the title, but she had no idea what happened with it.
She took Teddy with her. He was noticeably calmer by her side, and vice versa. They made it out the front door, to the Leaky Cauldron, but Hermione's second guessing had her turning back. They missed the attack in the Alley by a group of Death Eaters that evaded capture. It wasn't until the next morning that Hermione realized Andromeda never came home.
. . .
The second letter Hermione received from Gringotts had a much different tone than the first. It was two days after Andromeda's reported passing, and the first letter that came to the house.
She hadn't wanted to try to leave again, in case the wards wouldn't let her back in. There was nothing to her name but a letter she hoped she could authenticate, but even if the words were truthful they wouldn't give her a roof over her head. Teddy's care still had a question mark; and there was no word, through owl or through statement, from Harry Potter. Hermione had no idea if he knew what was being done with his supposed godson. She had no idea if he knew that he was indeed not Teddy's godparent, at least from the parchmentwork she found.
10 April, 1998
I, Nymphadora Adhara Tonks-Lupin, leave custody of my child Edward Remus 'Teddy' Lupin to my dearest friend, his half sister Hermione Jean Granger, whose blood test attached lays proof of my claim.
Everything owned by myself to any extent is to go to her. Where I own jointly, if the object is sold (i.e. house or shares), the percentage of the sale is to go to her that matches the amount originally owned.
This will voids any other directives, and the blood that this is written in will confirm any authentication. If any other directives appear dated after this, let magic and blood prove this one to be true. I am of sound mind when making this and cannot think of a reason I would change directives other than the death of Hermione Jean.
Hermione Jean Granger
b. 19 September 1979
Mother: Matilda Jean Granger
Maternal Grandparents: Cato Michael Granger & Elizabeth Jean Porter
Father: Remus John Lupin
Fraternal Grandparents: Lyall Lawrence Lupin & Hope Bethan Howell
Adopted 20 September 1979
Father: Ambrose Horatio Granger
"I think between my skin color and his scars, I couldn't see a resemblance." She said, holding Teddy tightly on her lap.
Hermione felt better leaving with Teddy when she had Tonks' letter in hand. Over the day rereading the words, she felt the merit in them. It helped that after seeing a photo of his father, Teddy's transformation making him a younger and scarless Remus, Hermione could see the truth. She went with the money from her closed account, hoping that somehow the directive would be true and leave her enough to pay off her debt and still be able to pay for Teddy.
In the end, it didn't matter. Without her knowledge, there had always been an account for her at Gringotts, set up by Lyall Lupin before she even knew about magic. The packet the goblins gave her included a letter from the man, who saw her in the family grimoire and never told his son, wanting her to be able to trace her family in case Remus never shared it with her.
Galleons she never knew existed, because people on both sides of the conflict couldn't be bothered to tell a muggleborn of her rights, were now open to her. There had been a grant she was awarded as an apparent muggleborn that had gone into the account with her name on it. Hermione was told only then of so many things that should have been common knowledge for her.
Hermione learned you had to ask a goblin the right question, otherwise they took their grudge on humans on you in petty ways. McGonagall never pointed out a reception desk, and since they all looked the same, Hermione had always gone to the slightly shorter table for currency exchange off to the side; the only one that she had ever been introduced to. Hermione learned if at any point she went to any other desk, they would have checked for any blood inheritance and opened an account using that same sample.
What Tonks wrote held true, and the blood results attached were goblin made and tamper proof. A scramble had left the goblins apologizing to her somehow. They had taken Harry Potter's memory of Remus naming him godfather as valid; the goblins had liquidated everything that should have been hers under Harry's orders. Everything in Gringotts was co-signed by his wife, effectively leaving it all to Hermione. Because of his werewolf status, the Ministry's past edicts wouldn't let Remus have anything solely in his name. And maybe because they saw kinship in the bias placed on Remus Lupin, they took the memory of his word as a joint statement of husband and wife despite the lack of evidence for it.
She would be able to at least go back to Andromeda's. While housebound, Andromeda altered her will with gratitude to her lodger.
... As I still don't know the true guardian of my grandson, I can not authorize his care to the woman who has been of much help to me. In its stead, I leave Hermione Jean Granger everything in my vaults, and property, not already claimed in the language above. May she use the same room and take care of my grandson in that cottage for as long as she wants, since it seems Harry Potter doesn't want to do the one thing asked of him by a dead man...
The next month Hermione never left the cottage with Teddy; its existence within muggle knowledge meant she could have groceries and other goods delivered. She received no owls outside of Gringotts, who had been slowly correcting their mistakes. The way they were made to feel by 'wizard trickery' got her out of paying a debt, but Hermione didn't feel right about it. She hadn't given the muggle money she had, still needing funds to take care of herself and her newly revealed brother, but after returning to the cottage found the goblin made jewelry within and sent it to the goblin she saw earlier in apology.
. . .
It wasn't until the week before Teddy's first birthday that Hermione heard anything out of Harry. A letter addressed to her brother's guardian came, along with what looked like a child's broom. She scoffed as she read what amounted to nothing. He made no comment on Teddy's grandmother's passing, or who he was even addressing. He sent a broom because that's what Sirius gave him. There was no mention of trying to visit, only a heads-up of what he was doing with Teddy's 'Uncle Ron'.
She had always known Harry would eventually take Ron's side; Hermione still had not had one owl from him with her name on it. A few months ago there was a story of Harry buying the Weasleys a new house, and now she had to wonder if that's how he used the money he liquidated.
What was left to her without goblin litigation was enough for her though. She and Teddy didn't need much, mostly relying on her muggle money. It turned out the stipend from her Order of Merlin went into Lyall's account, and she used it for owl order potions, among other strictly magical needs. She did indulge come the 9th of April. She took her brother out for his birthday to the Blackpool Zoo, which wasn't far from the cottage they lived in outside Lancaster. He seemed to enjoy the noisy monkeys, and she thought maybe it wouldn't be too bad to go out the house again.
That month she took Teddy out around the small city, visiting the museum and watching the play in the park. With his metamorphmagus abilities, they couldn't be out for too long. When he grew bored, tired, or had any type of tantrum, his appearance wouldn't hold. It made her heart warm though that his skin color often stayed the same, an earth tone as rich as hers.
When the anniversary of the final battle drew close, there wasn't much mention in the papers of her. Stories had run rampant of Ron's apparent daliences, and Harry was often seen being charitable. Hermione kept noting his charity wasn't in presence, but in the language of galleons.
There was a question brought up on the anniversary edition: Where is Hermione? Intrepid reporters only found an article of an Order of Merlin being accepted by her dear friends that she had yet to see. It had taken Hermione less time than she expected to be upset over the lower positioned award. Though at the time, she was still weighted by the grief of her parents and Tonks, who she was closest to outside of Harry & Ron. When she had died, Tonks left her parchment in the same whirlwind that was her life. It had taken her months to organize everything of importance, and she missed her brave and vivacious friend. When the day of her and her husband's passing came, she finally felt ready to go through it all. It was not what Hermione had expected.
By this time, Hermione was able to adjust to the fact that Remus had been her biological father. She wouldn't be calling him father though, because that would always be Ambrose Granger. He was the man she later found out met a pregnant woman with the same last name and married after five months of dating. Ambrose Granger had put the adoption papers he signed directly after her birth in the safety deposit box she hadn't known about until his passing. That man was her father, and after reading what Tonks had gathered, she was more than happy about that fact.
Hermione remembered how after finding out her best female friend was pregnant, Remus ran away, trying to join the horxrux hunt. She didn't understand why he wouldn't look at her when Harry was berating him for abandoning his child, but now she knew that he had already successfully done it in the past. When Tonks took him back, he confessed he knew there was a good chance Teddy wouldn't be a werewolf, his ever present argument was baseless. He knew because of Hermione.
Remus Lupin knew as soon as he smelled her that she was his child. He had been both impressed at her intelligence and her caring nature when he met her, but he never wanted to be more than her teacher. It was that full moon that settled it for him, the notes that read like a journal said. When using the time turner and howling to create a distraction, he responded to her because his wolf recognized her as his cub, as pack. He spent most of his life fighting the werewolf within, and finding what he thought might have been a daughter to get close to instead became horror for a man that refused to make peace with his other side. And knowing that, he didn't want to be there for his new child, fearing a similar reaction.
Tonks had always wanted Hermione to be Teddy's godmother, but she miscalculated. When he agreed to stay together, she assumed the family unit would include Hermione. When it was clear that would not be the case, she made ironclad preparations as taught to her by her mother. It turned out her haphazardness was a mask, hiding things in plain sight, a puzzle she had always meant for Hermione to solve.
Mina -
I have tried letters at the Weasley home, as you said you would be there after the war, but there has been no response. I tried you at the place with Harry you stayed, and all Harry was telling me was you needed time.
Six months I had given you Mina, and I was getting worried. I would have stayed worried, if international papers did not write about the anniversary of the final battle. There was no mention of you, and you are too strong and too important a woman to not be prominent in any of that story. No. I do not find that acceptable.
I have not listened to your friend. Harry has said you did not want to talk to anyone. I will believe that when this letter is sent back to me.
Please, Hermione, I am in need of your words. To know you are safe. I await the response telling me when I can see you.
Hermione was only perplexed for a moment before angry, but it all diffused pretty quickly as her brother started crying. It was two days after the anniversary, and it seemed more people were inclined to send her letters after the speculation in the papers. Apparently. The only magical paper she received anymore was the Quibbler.
She chose not to respond to anyone else but Neville, who was sent an invitation to meet in an open muggle place. She sent Viktor a two-way journal. There was no way she wanted a situation like that to happen again. The truth was probably more like it was Harry that needed more space; it wasn't like he was expecting her to be with Ron after taking the boy's side.
A week after the anniversary she had her first and only visitor. She hadn't thought of the lack of house guests before. Hermione and Teddy weren't lacking interaction. Now that he was older and she felt safe enough to leave the cottage, at least for short bursts, she signed up her brother for every caregiver and me class in town. It wasn't hard to convince others she was on a gap year to help with raising him, and in hour long stints he was able to keep his features. He was positively enamored with those awful noisemakers from one of his classes, but she refused to buy anything too loud. Though that might be why Teddy liked them so much; Hermione had mostly spoiled him with tactile toys.
"Oh... Hermione?" He stood with hand still up mid-knock.
"Hello Kingsley. Who exactly were you expecting at a dead woman's house?" She asked not so politely, a wry smirk at his grimace.
"I wasn't actually sure. It wasn't until yesterday that I learned the truth."
Hermione tilted her head to the side. "Not something about me, I take it? Since you weren't expecting me?"
There was a pause and a security question before she let him in. She lead him to the kitchen, as every other room was a mess, and offered him tea once she put a plate of fruit on the breakfast table. He smiled at the healthy option, but forgone drink to get to the heart of the matter.
"We thought Harry was taking care of Teddy Lupin." At her silence, and lack of visible infant, he went on. "He's always at the Burrow, he let us assume Kreacher was watching Teddy when he was out. But we had a celebration at Grimmauld Place for the anniversary..." His small twist of the lips fell quickly, noticing no change to her expression.
"So you're telling me that the cute baby orphan of two supposed heros isn't seen for almost a year, and now you wonder where he is?" She seethed.
"Supposed?"
"I require an oath of secrecy." Was her terse reply.
Kingsley Shaklebolt left her that day with only a few of her secrets, but enough to understand why she asked for the oath. There was a determined gleam in his eyes as he made her agree to taking her exams, if only because he'd get to see her brother in person as she would require a sitter.
Another knock after putting Teddy to sleep was even more surprising, but she had already put up the one-way sound barriers. Knowing not many people had been let in on the secret, she wasn't too worried, but still precautious as she approached.
Hermione wasn't able to ask a security question as she was taken up into a hug.
"Mina," he said after a moment of his face buried in her curls. "You still smell the same."
. . .
Viktor Krum had been having a hard time since the day of Fleur's wedding. It wasn't something noticeable, and his coach hadn't realized because his averages weren't declining. But for his Mina, he had to keep going on; Viktor couldn't let the international press know how she held his heart.
When the story came out, and the months later as they shared the lists of the dead, it became too much. He held back in practice, and the unopened letters coming back to him left him as surly as he looked.
"Maybe it is still not safe for her." His brother pointed out during another night he drank and despaired. "The chicken still lives with his head cut off."
There were a few skirmishes where Death Eaters were either killed or brought in, but even more times that his letters were sent back unopened. He decided to try Harry Potter, as he knew how the boy had always called Hermione his sister. And there was at least an answer of sorts when he tried there.
I'm sorry I can't be much help to you Viktor.
If Hermione isn't responding to you, I'm sure it's because she needs time. She doesn't come out with us either. An Order member, one close to home, was killed recently in an attack in Diagon Alley. We're all coping in our own way.
I can't tell you how long it will take, but I'm sure you'll see a response from her. It's Mione, yeah? Everyone knows what she's like.
There was something in the way Harry Potter wrote, it only sounded off because he knew how the boy spoke. It was something, but not enough. Because he could explain away his feelings as being jealousy, and the boy did have the luxury of spending more time with her. Even if Harry Potter couldn't seem to stop himself from using her hated nickname in writing, he knew Hermione trusted him. So Viktor should trust him in kind.
Viktor wanted to send curses to the heavens when the papers went on about the amazing skills of Ronald Weasley. There was no mention of his Mina. It was almost as if they purposely left her out, putting the jealous man child in her place, his whole family sharing his apparent prowess.
He had tried sending his letters to places, he knew she had protections on her. His smart and creative Mina crafted a wooden cuff bracelet, letting it soak up potions and shields. There was no reason why he should think she would not still wear it, why she would not want to be as safe as possible. It was a last resort, he thought, but he sent her a letter.
You were right, that is what this is. And you were right in your letter. Harry can make no claims about me. I am living in a place he doesn't know about.
Elation made him drop the book she sent, but surprise covered his face as a worn slip of parchment fell out. The clever witch must have created the journal from scratch, because sharing papers was not something he knew of any doing. It was with trembling fingers he opened the folded note, quickly realizing what it was, and how it wasn't written from her hand.
"You will see me when you see me." He said to his family when he called them for a family dinner that night. "But I have burned the address; I know where Mina is."
Viktor didn't even look at her, not truly. It was more important that she be in his arms. He could see her in pictures, but it was her presence that permeated his thoughts. The feel of her hands on his skin and the scent that he hoped would linger, the feeling of loss palpable when it would fade.
"Mina" His voice was ragged as he took a large breath, not exactly sure what he wanted to say first. "You still smell the same."
Her laugh made his stupid opening worth it, and he was pleased she made no move to leave his arms. Viktor was not ready to let her go, even to move or for air. And when her laughter turned to sobs, he was able to comfort her with his tight hold, keeping her upright and safe the way he knew he always would.
. . .
It was like no time had passed, Hermione still felt as safe as ever in Viktor's hold. She had tried easing him into the story, taking a large breath before she corralled her thoughts. She should have known though, Viktor was always an insistent man.
"No, Mina. You will sleep before you speak. There is no reason to rush your tale, I will be by your side until you ask of me not to."
The first night she didn't want to think of him leaving, the loss of companionship overwhelming when faced with her Bulgarian friend. She slept with her head on his shoulder on the couch for two hours before her brother cried out in the night.
He could wait on an explanation of whose home they were in, but Hermione was not going to hide her brother. Unfortunately his first reaction at seeing Teddy's umber tone was an apology.
"Mina," he had taken her in his arms, holding her as if he was bracing for something horrible. "You do not need to tell me. I will stand by you, I will not change my feelings because of this."
It took her a long moment to understand what he meant, but she blushed as she told him. "This is my brother. He's a metamorphmagus, both of his parents were white."
"I do not understand." He said as he loosened his hold on her, letting her pick up her brother. Hermione decided to be blunt, the sudden realization that Viktor was one of her few friends who knew both of her parents.
"His parents were Nymphadora Tonks & Remus Lupin, my biological father."
Teddy fell asleep in her arms as soon as she finished changing him, but she didn't want to let him go so she sat down to finally tell her story. Viktor proved how different her friendship with him was when he stayed silent, even as she paused to catch her breath. He would nod, scowl, and even lay a calming hand on her shoulder. Hermione soaked up all those little touches, not sure who needed the contact more. He sure didn't seem to want to remove his fingers from their slight perusal.
The first few days with Viktor went smoothly, and he fit in so well. Hermione did her best not to think about what would happen when it was time for him to leave. He walked her and Teddy to their classes and did the errands while they played and sang. With the extra time he helped her prepare for her exams. Of course he thought she didn't need much more than a refresher, so he made sure she wasn't burning herself out. She had things more important than results, after all, he'd said frankly. Viktor was always there to pull her out when she fell too deep into her studious nature.
It was the start of the second week when she started to worry. Viktor was gracious, calming her with a tight hug while telling her he had no intention of leaving unless she asked it of him. As she sobbed, apologizing for thinking the worst, his hold stayed firm and strong. She finally let go in a way she hadn't been able to before, finally seeing the truth he never stopped showing her.
Kingsley came to her door when he said he would, but without sending her owls in the interim was surprised to see the Bulgarian.
"Why would he be here though?" He asked after Viktor left with a concealed Teddy for a program at the library. "When were you two close?"
With a hard look, she told him how short sighted he was being by relying on who he now knew was fallible for information. With a sheepish smile, he apologized and acknowledged that she was allowed a life without being tied to only two boys.
Without the need to babysit, something Hermione privately hadn't truly felt comfortable with, Kingsley offered her the protection of his office for test taking. She agreed, and after he sent a quick patronus message, Hermione opened up the floo access for the singular event, not trusting side along apparition.
"Hermione, my goodness! I've been so worried about you child! Oh Kingsley, you found her."
Hermione initially bristled at what seemed like an ambush. "I hope Ms. McGonagall is here to be my proctor. Otherwise, I'll be going so as not to bother your already busy schedule."
"Hermione... lass" The older witch looked shocked for words.
"No" she said, then looked squarely at Kingsley. "You know what you cannot say. Bringing a third party, as if I would be guilted into speech by the reunion, is not how this is going to work. Now am I truly here for my exams, or is this just another example of somebody trying to control the brightest witch of her age?"
With silence greeting her from both parties, she went back into the flames and closed access. Viktor wasn't back yet, of course, but she started placing the protections she could. When she told Viktor how she had to sell everything to make her way back to Britain, Viktor left to run errands. He gathered every material he remembered to help her recreate her protective bangle, and the second one was even better than the first.
An hour later, she did what she had been putting off. Hermione wasn't waiting for her N.E.W.T.s before placing a new fidelius charm on the property, not knowing how many other than Kingsley might still be alive that knew the location. They had practiced the charm, and now it would be set.
"We can go to the ICW. Take their exams. It might be better for you, the international accreditation."
There was more that Hermione hadn't known, she realized. She never knew opting out of Hogwarts didn't mean banishment from the magical world. There were more options than the only one McGonagall presented her with at eleven. Other options might not have been a school, but Hermione's parents were already using tutors by that point.
Viktor tucked Teddy in for his nap by himself as she felt too numb to stand. It was the quiet thought that the scene looked right, him holding a child that looked like her, that brought her out of her stupor. Thankfully he was out of the room when her blush formed, as she knew he would sprout an annoying grin if he saw the added color to her cheeks.
. . .
Neville Longbottom didn't realize it at the time, but he had made a mistake. It was another party, another time he was meant to seem happy to be around those he fought with; as if that was truly enough to keep people together. And sure, they brought down Greyback, Jugson and the Goyles, but they lost lives as well. Even if the collective didn't want to mention her, or thought she didn't count as one of their own because she never joined like her daughter, Neville felt the loss of Andromeda Black Tonks.
She let him stare for a full ten minutes at her face without calling him on it. Andromeda let him rage, show his most negative emotions, throwing words and objects into her walls. She wasn't offended by his visceral reaction to her looks and how similar she was to the woman he watched essentially kill his parents. And then after all that, she was the one who properly taught him potions.
It was the anniversary of her passing, and all these people could focus on were the people who killed her. Neville couldn't remember what exactly it was that he said, but it was what put him in the situation he was in now.
"You know what's happened to her, don't you?" The Minister asked as soon as the door was closed and warded.
Minister Kingsley Shaklebolt wasn't someone he would ever call by his first name, let alone consider a friend. At the reunions he had the time to go to, the Minister never approached him.
Neville had assumed the meeting was being called not for something overheard at a party two weeks before. He thought this was Director Robards reaffirming his threat of calling in the big guns, whatever that meant. He knew there were people upset by his decision to leave the DMLE for 'those plants'.
"I'm sorry, Minister. I'm not sure who you're talking about. I'm not currently on any missing persons cases."
"Give it up Neville, I know all the techniques." He said with unexpected candidness, running his hands over the back of his neck.
A silence hung thick in the air but Neville didn't shuffle his feet as if it was five years ago. He had thought he had proved he was more than what his grandmother still spoke of him, but it seemed Hermione was right. Kingsley did see what he wanted to in regards to their generation.
"I messed up." He was looking far off as he spoke. "Five months ago I lied to her. I don't know how it even worked, thinking she'd be able to take her N.E.W.T.s with only one person there."
Neville grimaced, not knowing the story but still able to answer. "She wasn't raised in the magical world, Minister. Who was there to tell her how things worked outside of Hogwarts?"
"I just wanted to get to the bottom of things, I wasn't even looking for her! Who would have assumed the mystery of Teddy Lupin would have led to Hermione Granger?"
Knowing what he knew now, Neville was glad she was planning to change Teddy's last name. Not only because of the constant reminder of the man who was a coward when it mattered, but for the reminder of the first two women in the boy's life. "Tonks and Hermione were friends." He said simply, knowing the Minister didn't need any more information.
When the Minister finally looked at him, actually acting like Neville was a participant of the conversation, it was to demand answers. Answers were what Neville would not give. Sure, the first meet ups with Hermione she was testing him, but he had proved himself. There were no ulterior motives for calling on her, Neville had been preoccupied with his own parents and auror training. He thought he had no time, until he remembered there was more to life than his obsessions. He would have done anything to have that connection to Hermione back, and she only did what was right in testing his veracity.
Kingsley Shaklebolt didn't have that level of trust; he knew about the oath. He knew how even with facts presented to him, the word of Hermione Granger was not enough. Neville knew that many in Britain wouldn't consider her word as truthful anymore, that is if they cared enough to remember her. The facts of what happened were changed by her so-called friends, all because she refused to be the first post-war notch on Ron's bed post.
He shook his head when he got back to his empty flat. Robards thought he still had time to convince Neville into staying, but the choice had been made months ago, he just had to put his affairs in order. He slipped on his extension charmed messenger bag, the birthday gift he was humbled to receive, and left Diagon Alley through the muggle side after slipping the misdirection ring he also received at the same time. Neville would be traveling to Lancaster solely through muggle means.
"You are a good friend Neville. We thank you for being here." Viktor said when he was spotted at the train station. Viktor picked up Neville's tabletop greenhouse with little effort and started walking, a wink before he began talking. "We will be taking a car from here. I don't think you want this on my bike."
. . .
It was easier than he thought, Viktor realized, to change the trajectory of her heart. He thought it would take longer, but after a few months, Hermione told him how natural it felt when they shared a house. His heart soard at the shy declaration, agreeing wholeheartedly in his head. His Mina knew they were meant, he would give her however long it took to acknowledge it verbally.
She was the one who came to him, holding her brother and a ring, asking him if he would join their family. It had been what she was working on, he realized, the ring very clearly glowing with her magic. He kissed Teddy's head before picking them up and spinning, relishing in their combined laughter.
"Are you okay with a quick engagement?" She asked quietly after he put her down. "I want this little bear to be involved, and I just... I thought... I mean... his half birthday is next week, and..."
No matter how she finished her question, he would have said yes. He would marry her that night if she wanted. Her stumbling over her words was adorable, but he knew how much she didn't like it when it happened. Kissing her silent was the only plausible solution he knew of, and it would only end when she needed air.
"Your friend, Neville. He will bond us."
His Mina's smile was almost as big as it was before the war. Her full lips widened, and the contrast of her sparkling teeth was the loveliest sight he knew.
There was not much to plan ahead, but they still had important matters to finalize. Hermione had taken her brother to Gringotts, and they came back to a cake he made by hand, Edward Lyall Tonks artfully written on the top. His thoughtful fiance wanted Teddy to still have a connection to both sides of his family.
"He should be named after the man who knew what it meant to fight for his family. The one who did everything in his power to help his wife and child, even when it meant radical change to his world view."
Viktor had listened to her every rant, silently agreeing but knowing she was only looking for someone to listen. The man she knew had told Harry Potter horrible stories of Lyall Lupin when he thought she wasn't around, but after reading what journals were left in her vault she knew how untrue those words were. Lyall's words proved to her there was a Lupin worth knowing.
Neville got in that night, but that night would forever be the night he remembered because it was the first night he shared a bed with his Mina. Viktor held her strong against her nightmares, happy he could do this for her. It was not a romantic night, but another level of intimacy was crossed.
There were small smiles on both of their faces, though while she mostly couldn't meet his eyes, he was transfixed by the amount of sumptuous skin he hadn't realized was on display the night before. He kissed her quickly, trying to hide the fact that he had the urge to see if she tasted as sweet as the coffee he would prepare for her.
That morning, the breakfast table was full of laughter and light conversation. The two friends wanted their last hours in Britain to reflect what they knew they had been missing for a long while. With no one but each other who cared enough to reach out, Viktor was thankful Neville agreed to join them on their new adventure. He was a little envious of the two. It took little time for the wizard to make his way back to Hermione's life, and even less to join their fields of study together into something truly marvelous.
"It doesn't concern me where we settle," his Mina said with an impish grin. "Every country is in need of sustainable farming. The question you should be asking is what team do you want to be graced with your talent?"
Viktor had known before then that he loved her, and their vows showed the strength of their bond as they were married under the apple tree in the backyard. By the time the sun fully set, they closed the door on this chapter of their lives. They knew it would be a long time before they returned, but they made sure to leave the past in better shape than it was when they got there.
. . .