By Reason Of Birth

The Advice

"So, you're really going to the Granger's?" Theo asked accusingly as Blaise settled himself on her bed, resting his head on his hands against the headboard.

"That's the plan," she responded with a sigh.

"What happened to going over to Harry's?"

"He has other plans. I think it's with a girl, but he wouldn't say," she smirked.

"So you're going to them... out of everyone you can visit, you choose them. You've really hurt Mum," he said, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Theo," she sighed, reaching out to him from her place at the foot of her bed. He looked at her through narrowed eyes before sitting next to her and allowing her to put her arm around his shoulder.

"I never meant to hurt her, but she'll get over it soon," Hermione told him, resting her head on his shoulder. "You've probably heard, but I had a bit of a tiff with Brisco this morning and I need someone to talk to about it."

"You can talk to me about it," Theo offered, unconciously stroking her hair. "You're not an only child anymore, Hermione. What kind of brother would I be if you couldn't talk to me?"

"That's sweet of you, but no, I can't. You must understand, the Grangers have been my parents, my only real family, for the last seventeen years. I've always gone to them when I needed help, and I hope they can help me now. And I miss them. I get six days with them over the summer, this will be my first."

"I still don't like it," he said darkly.

"You don't have to like it, but that's how it is. I can't imagine that any of you expected me to just forget about them."

"No," he sighed, bumping his side into hers playfully.

"Good," she replied, bumping him back. "Now get out of my room so I can leave," she mock ordered as she stood up.

Theo stood up next to her and Blaise reluctantly crawled out of her bed, situating himself between the two, one arm over each of their shoulders. "So, now that that's settled, why don't we come with you," he suggested, facing Hermione with a grin across his handsome face.

"Ummm, no, not today," she said, shrugging away from him and pushing the two boys away from the bed and towards the door. She followed them out of the room, shutting the door. Just as she Disapparated from the hallway, she felt Blaise's hand pinching her backside, but before she could do anything to respond, she had already made it to the Granger's, thankfully without splinching herself.

Familiar arms were wrapped around her before she had a chance to situate herself and she couldn't help but smile as the love for her from her adopted mother filled her.

"How are you, Honey?" she cooed. "You sounded upset when we talked earlier."

"I was. Where's Dad?" she hedged.

"Oh, he's down at the market, we were missing some of the ingredients for dessert. I take it you want to wait until he's here to talk about it?" she replied, having always been able to see through her daughter.

"Please. How have you been, I've missed you," Hermione said, pulling the older woman into another hug. When they pulled away, they started towards the lounge, where they sat down on the sofa.

"We've been okay. Mostly, we've been working, and going out to try and find things to amuse us."

"So the usual for when I'm not around?"

"Pretty much," Madeline laughed. "We figure if we act like normal, then it won't be so bad not having you here."

"Mum, that's not very healthy," Hermione lectured. "You need to grieve, even if you will get to continue seeing me."

"I don't know," her mum teased, "it seems we hear from you more often now than we did when you lived under our roof. We've never gotten so many letters from you in such a short span of time before."

Hermione blushed, mumbling under her breath, "I missed you."

They heard the back door open and made their way to the kitchen where they found Eugene putting away the groceries he had just purchased. When he saw Hermione, he stopped what he was doing to give her a tight hug.

Eventually, the three settled down in the lounge with iced tea and biscuits. "What is it that had you all worked up earlier, Honey?" asked Madeline.

"Nothing. Everything. It's just... so hard to be who they want me to be. I've gone along with everything they wanted so far, until last night, and I just sometimes feel like they don't want me for who I am, but who they want me to be. Well, not Theo, but he's known me since we were eleven."

"Oh, Honey," her mum cooed, squeezing her shoulders, "It's going to be all right. These things just take time."

"What happened last night?"

"I was talking to Theo's friend in my room, with the door closed, and I'm not allowed to close the door with boys in the room. I hadn't even realized it," she fibbed, "I'm just so used to closing the door when I'm with Harry and Ron and it didn't really cross my mind."

"You may be used to it one way, but if it's their rule, then it's the rule you must follow," her dad told her. "I assume there were repercussions?"

"Yes; I have to do the dishes the Muggle way for a week. Apparently that's a big punishment for Theo," she smiled.

"I have half a mind to tell them that that's not a punishment to you, but I think I'll let them find out themselves," he commented. "So, this boy, who is he?"

"Blaise Zabini," she answered, rolling her eyes.

"I've never heard you mention him," Eugene said suspiciously.

"There was never any need to. He was never my friend, but he was never an arse to me either."

"If he was never your friend, what was he doing in your bedroom? And you say this happened at night?" he probed while Hermione thought that perhaps she shouldn't have come to her parents over this after all.

"Eugene, I'm sure they were just talking. I seriously doubt that Hermione would tell us about a boy being in her closed room at night if anything untoward went on," her mother rationalized, making Hermione feel slightly guilty, even if the almost-kiss had happened outside and not in her room.

"So you think I should just be a good little girl and do everything they say without a second thought?" Hermione asked, trying to change the subject.

"Of course not! Not if there's something that you are fundamentally opposed to, but there's no harm in trying new things," Madeline responded with a motherly warmth to her voice.

"Hermione, love," Eugene said, "you just need to be yourself. Right now they love you because you are their daughter, and if you give them time, they will love you because you're you, the way that we do. Just because something is different, doesn't mean that it's bad, or that you should automatically rule it out. Give everyone a chance.

"I'm sure by now you must have met a few of Theo's friends. He seems like a good kid; if you stick by him, his friends, and your friends, this transition will more than likely be slightly smoother for you all."

Hermione smiled. Her dad had always been somewhat random in what he said, but somehow it always made sense. The three of them continued talking for a while, catching up despite the fact that Hermione had already told them almost everything that had been going on through her letters.

After dinner, Hermione hugged them both with tears in her eyes as she thanked them for all of their advice, and Disapparated back to her new home.
Chapter End Notes:
thanks to the Lupie beta and the reader/reviewers, i love you all. *beauty queen wave and air kisses* lol.