New Beginning

Chapter 3


Hermione had been so nervous sitting outside the Magical Adoption section in the Ministry of Magic. Harry had told her time and again that everything would be fine and the man she was going to see was completely trust worthy. Hermione looked down at Darien who was sitting up in the floor playing with a baby toy. It was a toy that had different shapes that fitted into the round ball. Darien was working those pieces trying hard to get them inside the ball. Hermione jumped when the door opened up and someone called her name.

Bending over quickly Hermione inserted all the shapes in the ball. Darien clung to the little star shape and wouldn’t give it up so she scooped the boy, toy and all up off the floor and headed into the office once she had the diaper bag slung across her shouldersrianrian Trenton, was sitting behind his desk shuffling papers. The witch that had shown them to his office said nothing and shut the door behind them. Brian looked up.

“Miss Granger.”

Hermione smiled at him, trying to calm the swarming butterflies in her stomach. “Y…Yes sir.”

Brian gestured to the chair in front of his desk. He watched as Hermione sat the little boy on the floor and watched as she opened the ball letting all the shapes go over the floor. Darien trilled with delight as the shapes hit the floor and his little fingers clung to the ball and he tried vainly trying to get those pieces back inside again. Brian grinned at the child on the floor as he came around to watch.

“You have the papers.” It was a statement, not a question.

Hermione didn’t know what Harry had told the man but she handed the thick packet to him. It wasn’t illegal to go back to the state of childhood in the magical world. Harry knew all the laws concerning this. Hermione was thrilled that Harry had not only done research but also done it on his own. Brian flipped through the papers, his eyebrow arching in places and he looked back down at the little boy on the floor that had an oval shape in his mouth chewin itn it and babbling happily.

“Everything is in order. He even left a place for a new name. Have you considered a new name for him?” Brian asked.

Hermione’s eyes opened wider. Harry didn’t tell her, but he left it open for her to give him a new name. “Yes. Darien Michael Granger.”

Brian smiled and bent down looking at the little boy. “Well Harry, you certainly knew what you where doing huh? Guess we can’t call you Harry any longer. Darien Granger.”

Darien looked up at him and babbled.

Brian smiled stood back up and walked behind his desk. “Did you bring the potion too?”

Hermione fished the potion bottle out of her pocket in her robe and sat it on the desk. Brian picked it up and twirled in the light. “This is rare, but under the circumstances I can see why he would want to do this. I’ll have you know he’s been talking to me about this for four years now.” Brian looked over to Hermione. “You must be very special in his life if he gave you this gift.”

Hermione blushed. “He’s my best friend.”

Brian took up his quill and started writing on the papers. He looked at Hermione. “Come sign these.”

Hermione walked around the desk and Brian showed her every place to sign. Brian picked up the bottle of potion and walked back over to Darien and bent down. “Well Darien, are you ready to be your mother’s son?”

Darien babbled up at him.

“I’ll take that as a yes, the Bri Brian picked up the little boy and poured the potion in his mouth. Darien spat at the potion and Brian laughed a little. “Can’t help the taste, this was all your idea anyway. So drink it.”

Darien complied and drank the rest of the potion down. Brian handed Darien to Hermione his mother now. Hermione watched as his eyes closed, she knew he would go into a magical sleep now for the next twelve hours as his body adjusted.

“He’s a beautiful little boy.” Brian said.

“Yes he is.” Hermione agreed.

Brian looked over the papers one more time. “One more thing Miss Granger. There is a clause in here. If you get married and your husband wants to adopt Darien the paternity potion can be given, only if the man knows who this child really is. These records will be sealed, no one will be able to open them unless you are the one to do so. Harry put a lot of thought into this, and there is a letter in this also to the man who wishes to do this. He’s putting a lot of faith in you Miss Granger. Don’t let him down.”

Hermione caressed Darien’s cheek. “I don’t plan on it.” She looked back at Brian. “Harry said he trusts you, can ask I why?”

“Certainly. Harry trusts me because he trusts my Grandfather. Even my Grandfather doesn’t know anything about Mis Miss Granger. I was under strict orders not to tell, and I’ll tell you. It’s very hard to keep anything from Albus Dumbledore when he sets his mind into finding something out.”

Hermione smiled at Brian. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure, just give that boy a normal childhood.”

“What’s going to happen when everyone finds out Harry Potter is gone?”

Brian shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. Harry Potter doesn’t exist anymore.”

Hermione reached down for the diaper bag and Brian put the shape toy back inside for her. Hermione was now a mother, she was grinning from ear to ear carrying Darien out of his office. He was hers. She was to busy watching Darien sleep when she was walking down the hall and into the elevator that she didn’t notice who was inside when she stepped in herself.

“Who are you babysitting for Hermione?”

Hermione looked up and saw Percy Weasley with Mr. Weasley. Prefect Percy will tattle to Ron. Mr. Weasley had yet to say anything but regarded the child in her arms with interest. Hermione looked at Darien and then back to the two men.

“He’s mine.”

Percy scoffed while Mr. Weasley shown shock.

“Who in their right mind would let a single Witch adopt a child?\" Percy glared down at her and Darien. “More likely you did something illegal, give me that child.”

Hermione backup to the wall, “I’ll do no such thing Percy Weasley. He’s mine and it is very legal.”

Mr. Weasley put an arm across his son’s chest. “Leave her alone Percy.”

Hermione left the elevator as soon as the door opened and let out a breath she had been holding. Her heart was pounding. And this was something she had been dreading, having Ron’s family find out. She walked quickly out of the ministry; she hoped she could get to the apartment before Ron ever got his owl from Percy. Ron had a temper; it was that red hair of his. She had seen his mother blow up enough to know it ran from her. She didn’t want to be on the receiving end of that temper when it came about.


********


Severus had spent that morning at the University, something he really didn’t want to do. But he did walk away with a few names of some qualifying candidates for the job. One of them didn’t shock him at all. He knew Hermione Granger was smart, she graduated top of her class at Hogwarts and did again at the University. She had a degree in Charms and in Potions, he shook his head at this, always the over achiever.

Walking across the lawn of the University he walked over to the apartments, the addresses of the students were all listed. He made his way to the building that housed Hermione, she listed her address and that she had a roommate when he looked at the roommate name he almost groaned. She hadn’t been with Weasley, she’d shared an apartment with Potter. This intrigued him, he was certain that Weasley was the love of her life. It was sickening the way those two were looking at each other their last year at Hogwarts.

Severus started up the stairs that would take him to the apartment when he heard the banging and shouting.

“Come on Hermione, I know you’re in there. Now open up!”

Severus stopped and looked at the youngest Weasley male of the Weasley clan. He had grown more sense his last year at Hogwarts, was very tall and broad chested, his face was red with anger.

“Damn you Hermione, whose baby is that?” He continued to yell into the door.

Severus took a step back down the stairs. Baby! Had to be Potter’s, who else could it be you stupid red head. She’s living with him for Merlin sake. Severus decided to go see one of the other students, even though he was tempted to listen to this drivel that was playing out before him. He reached the bottom of the step when the last phrase would be ringing inside his mind for the rest of the day.

“Damn it Hermione, I know you’re barren, you couldn’t have had that child. Now open this damn door and talk to me.”

Severus had interviewed the other four candidates that the University had given him, he wasn’t pleased with them. It was near dinnertime when he had finished and decided he had enough for one day and went back home to Hogwarts. The single table in the hall was ready for dinner by the time he arrived and he sat down next to Albus, Minerva and Poppy being the only other teachers left in the school. It was the four of them, it had been this way for the last four years, and Severus had liked this. The three of them knew him rather well, and knew when he would talk and when he wouldn’t.

Albus had glanced at him over his glasses. “Didn’t have a good day Severus?”

Severus shrugged.

Poppy spoke next. “Did you find anyone for the position yet?”

Severus shook his head no.

“What happen today?” Minerva asked.

Severus looked up at her and shook his head no. He went back to his meal only half picking at it. A baby? How in the hell did she get a baby if she was barren? This had to be one of Potter’s bright ideas. He snorted. The other three at the table looked at him.

“I’m fine.” He told them.

Albus kept looking at him, and then he asked. “Did you talk to Miss Granger?”

Severus turned his head sharply to Albus. How the hell? Who am I kidding, Albus knows everything. “No.” He didn’t talk to her, found somethings out but didn’t talk to her.

“Why not consider Miss Granger, Severus? Are you that vain that you would over look one of the brightest minds in our world right now?” Minerva threw the gauntlet down.

Severus narrowed his eyes at her. “I considered Miss Granger, I’m still considering Miss Granger.”

“She would be a welcome addition to this school.” Poppy told him.

“What of her child?” Severus asked while raising his eyebrow. He loved the shocked expressions on the others faces.

“Well, we would have to consider asking her husband if he would want to come to Hogwarts or finding them a place in Hogsmead.” Albus said.

Severus looked down at his plate. “She isn’t married.”

He heard the gasps. Even he had looked into this. He was shocked himself. This was something he never would have considered Miss Granger doing. She wasn’t the type that would not have a child out of wedlock, yet she had one. And being barren at that. That was a mystery he wouldn’t mind solving, to find out why such a bright person would do such a thing. Not that he didn’t mind seeing Weasley suffer in the process. He groaned, he should have never have left. Weasley wouldn’t do anything rash? Or would he? Severus pushed himself away from the table and stalked out of the Great Hall, not answering the calls of his friends behind him. He had to find out, something inside him was wanting to know that she was okay. Not that he didn’t think she could take care of herself, knowing that Potter would protect her, but he had to know.