Mending The Wounds

I know, I know... this chapter has been long in the coming! Well, it\'s finally here... enjoy!


Chapter Seven: Not Settling

The next morning Hermione woke up to Remus kissing her neck. She moaned softly and he kissed her.

“I could get used to this.” Hermione smiled when they finally broke the kiss.

“I already am.” Remus smiled.

“Remus, what are your sisters going to do with me today?” Hermione asked, sounding scared, but holding back a smile.

“I wouldn’t know, but I wouldn’t be worried, you’ll have the girls with you too so they can’t go too crazy.” Remus said with a serious expression, though his eyes were dancing with laughter.

Hermione smiled. “I really like them a lot so far.”

“They feel the same.”

“They told you that?”

“Yes. Oh, and your ‘I’m going to leave so you can find out what they think of me’ act didn’t go unnoticed, they knew what you were up to.”

“I’m glad they’re not so easily fooled, it says a lot.” Hermione started to laugh softly.

Remus kissed her softly on the lips again, then looked over his shoulder at the clock on the bedside table. He climbed out of bed and pulled on his robe, making his way to the bathroom. He opened the bathroom door and went to go in, but stopped before closing it behind him. He peeked around the door with a grin on his face.

“Are you coming?”

~*~

When lunchtime rolled around, the afternoon found the women and the two girls sitting outside on the porch laughing. Lenora was proud of Michelle, having spent the whole morning with Hermione and not asking a single question about Harry Potter. She should have known that she wouldn’t be able to keep it up though.

“So Hermione, you went to school with Harry Potter, didnou?”ou?” Lenora shot Michelle a disapproving look, but Michelle only smiled.
Hermione smiled, took a sip of her tea, then looked at Michelle.

“I did. He was, and still is, one of my best friends.”

“You went to school with Hawy Potta?” Lilly and Laurie looked at her with wide eyes. Hermione laughed a little.

“Yes. We went on all sorts of adventures too.”

The two girls looked as though they were going to jump out of their seats. “What kind of adventas?” Lilly asked.

Hermione beckoned for the girls to come closer, which they did. “In our first year I was chased by a troll who almost killed me, had Harry and Ron not come and knocked him out, I wouldn’t have been able to meet the three headed dog named Fluffy who was anything but.”“A t“A three headed dog! Was it big?” Laurie asked.

“Very! He was guarding a trap door. Near the end of the year Harry, Ron, and I went down that trap door, through devil’s snare, and flew with flying keys. We played chess, we were actually in the game as some of the pieces, and then I solved a logic puzzle made by my Professor Snape that let Harry into a room where he battled with You-Know-Who.”

The girls “ooo-d” and “aah-d” in all the right places. Michelle and Lenora were looking at Hermione in surprise.

“You did all that in your first year?” Lenora said. Hermione nodded. “Amazing.”

“What happened in your second?” Michelle asked.

Hermione then relived, in a very much condensed version, her sevearsears at Hogwarts. She went through her adventures with the basilisk, Sirius Black and her time turner, the Tri-Wizard Tournament and the Yule Ball, all the way through to the final battle with Voldemort.

“You really did all of that?” Lenora asked, amazed.

Hermione sighed. “Yes. We had a busy seven years at school.”

Michelle laughed softly. “I can see that now.”

“Girls, I think it’s time for you two to go play. The men will be home soon and us ladies need to talk.” Lenora shooed Lilly and Laurie away, then turned back to Hermione and Michelle. “You solved one of Severus Snape’s logic puzzles in your first year? A logic puzzle that was guarding, of all things, the Philosophers Stone?”

Hermione smiled sadly. “Yes, I did. It made sense to me, being Muggleborn, not living off magic from birth, to be able to solve a logic puzzle at such a young age. I hope that when I have kids they won’t be mentally dependent on magic.”

“I agree with you. Lorenzo and I hardly ever help the kids using magic. We want them to be able to use their brains and not just memorize a spell.”

Hermione nodded. “That’s exactly what I meant. Remus and I have talked about it and we both agree.”

“I am so happy that Remus has found someone to love.” Michelle announced.

“I agree. He’s been so alone and lonely for so long. He deserves so much more than this world has to offer.”

“I just hope he doesn’t feel like he has to setwithwith me.” Hermione said quietly, though Michelle and Lenora still heard her.

“Hermione, he is not settling!”

Hermione refused to meet the gaze of her two future sister-in-laws. They wouldn’t understand why she felt like Remus would be settling for her and she didn’t really want to explain it to them. That chapter of her life was closed and it was time for her to move on. She felt her eyes swell with tears and cursed herself for being so damn emotional right now.

“Hermione?” Lenora came over to her and put an arm around her. “What’s wrong dear. You can tell us anything.”

Hermione felt a tear stream down her face and she furiously wiped it away. She stood up and walked over to the door to go inside.

“I’m going to go to the bathroom, I’ll be back in a few minutes.” She said without turning around. Lenora and Michelle let her go, silently agreeing to give her time to become more comfortable around them, maybe even comfortable enough to talk about whatever was bothering her.

A few minutes later, Hermione emerged outside again. It was obvious that she had cried, then washed her face, though Michelle and Lenora both ignored it.

“So Carrie is coming with us tomorrow?” Michelle asked once Hermione sat back down.

Hermione smiled. “Yes, she is very excited. She was so happy that you guys wanted her to come. She really needs this right now. She needs a family to love her.”

“And you and Remus want to be that family?” Lenora asked softly.

“I do, though I get the feeling that Remus would rather other arrangements be made for her.”

“He’s ok with it. If he wasn’t, then I’m sure he’d tell you.”

“I’m not so sure. I know he loves me and I know he wants me to be happy, so he’s going to let me have my way without any trouble. I just wish he’d tell me if it was a problem.”

“Don’t worry about it hun. I’m sure if it becomes a problem you’ll know it.” Lenora tried to reassure her.

~*~

All the girls were sitting outside, watching the stars begin to come out as the sun sunk over the horizon when the men and boys came home. They went out back and sat with the women, the boys going out into the yard and wrestling. Remus came over and sat next to Hermione.

“Did you have fun today?” Remus asked, then gave her a kiss.

“Yes,” Hermione said, though he could see in her eyes that something was troubling her.

“What is it? Did they bring up Harry?”

Hermione laughed. “How could they not? It’s ok, I wasn’t bothered by it. Besides, the girls were awed by my stories.”

“Stories?”

Hermione laughed at his perplexed expression. “Yes, everything from the troll to the final battle.”

“Troll?”

“You don’t know about the troll?”

“No, but I’m getting the feeling that I should. Tell me later?”

“Of course.” Hermione said, then leaned over and gave him a quick kiss.

Just then Lance and Nate came running up to the group of adults.

“Uncle Nathan! Can we play quidditch? Please?!” Lance asked in a rush, catching his breath from running.

“There’s only three of you though. You can’t play a proper game of quidditch with only three people.” Nathan said seriously.

“But you and Uncle Remus and Dad can play too. And Mum and Hermione too! Come on! Please?”

Nathan looked at the other adults. “Whatyou you think Lorenzo, Remus? Up for a game?”

“Please Uncle Lorenzo! Uncle Remus?!” Nate begged.

Remus looked over at Lorenzo and Nathan with a sly grin on his face. “Are you two up for a game? I am.”

“Let’s go.” Nathan said, getting up, Lorenzo and Remus soon following suit.

“You coming too Lenora?” Lorenzo asked.

“Yep. Hermione?” Lenora stood up, next to her husband.

“No, I think I’ll just stay down here with Michelle.”

“Dear, you don’t have to hat.hat. Please, go, have fun.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes! Now go!”

Hermione smiled as she stood up. “Ok.”

Lorenzo, Nathan, Remus, Lenora, Hermione, and the three boys walked out to the yard, Nathan going over to a shed that Hermione assumed held the quidditch supplies. They spent about an hour flying in Nathan’s back yard, passing the quaffle arouNateNate and Lance each searching for the snitch.

Hermione couldn’t remember a time when she had felt so free. Contrary to popular belief, she didn’t mind flying, she just didn’t like the craze of Quidditch.

When the group finally came down from the sky, they found Lilly, Laurie, and Larry cuddled up against Michelle, a large blanket thrown around the three. All three were sleeping peacefully. Remus, Nathan and Lorenzo came over and picked up the sleeping children, carrying them inside, while Lenora went to Michelle and woke her up.

~*~

Hermione climbed into bed that night feeling considerably relaxed. She cuddled against Remus and he wound his arm around her waist.

Remus leaned down and kissed her hair. As Hermione drifted off into the pleasant realm of dreams and fantasies, she heard the three words she knew she would never tire of hearing from him.

I love you.








Phew! Finally got that up! Well, this has, by far, been the hardest chapter to write! Life definitely has bad timing. Personally, I don\'t think this chapter lives up to my usual standards, but oh well. Let me know what you thought of it! I\'ve decided not to respond to the reviews unless there are particular questions or something.... but I will say thanks...

Thanks to Deb, Tatia, Melissa, and Amelia for reviewing the last chapter!

Next chapter will be up soon... give me a week or so...

Tanya~