The Wrong Time

The Other Woman

“Mummy, I want go to pawk,” Josiah said, between bites of a cheese sandwich.


“Alright, sweetie, we can go to the park when you are finished with your lunch,” Hermione replied, wiping her hands on a dish towel.


She had not heard from Silvano yet today, and she had an idea for the potion. She thought perhaps if they added powdered moonstone to the elixir, then it might bring them closer to the cure. She decided to add it after she put Josiah down for his nap.


She sat down on the couch with a book, waiting for Josiah to finish his lunch. When he finally did, she got him ready and took him across the street to the park. She sat down on a bench and watched him dig. She was so absorbed in watching him, that she did not see the blonde woman walk up behind her.


Lavender Brown composed herself. She had decided it was time to take matters into her own hands. Initially, she thought the easiest way to get rid of Hermione would be to kill her.


She had reasoned with herself that it would be for the best. That if Hermione were dead, then she and Ron could live the life she had wanted with him for the last five years. She fingered the silver knife in her robes. It would be so easy to do it. No one was around.


Then she saw the innocent, curly haired little boy playing in the dirt a few feet away from Hermione. She lost her nerve. She could not do it. No matter how much she hated Hermione for being Ron’s wife, she could not kill her. She could not take that sweet child’s mother from him. Instead she sat down on the bench next to Hermione.


Hermione paled when she saw who sat next to her. Lavender Brown was the last person she wanted to see, much less talk to.


“Hello, Hermione,” Lavender said, shakily.


Hermione nodded in acknowledgement.


“He’s gotten so big,” she commented, motioning towards Josiah.


“Yes, he has,” Hermione said, not looking at Lavender.


“He doesn’t look a thing like Ron,” Lavender said.


Hermione stiffened at the mention of her husband’s name.


“Hermione, there’s something I need to tell you,” Lavender said, a bit hesitantly. “I--”


“I know,” Hermione interrupted.


“You- you know?” Lavender said, incredulously.


Hermione nodded.


“Oh, gods, I was not expecting that,” Lavender said a bit shakily. “When did Ron tell you?”


“He didn’t,” Hermione snapped.


“How long have you known?”


“Three years,” Hermione said, looking at her feet. “How long has it been going on?”


Lavender wringed her hands.


“Five years,” she said softly.


Hermione sniffed in response.


“Hermione, I just want you to know, I never---”


“I don’t care,” Hermione said. “It doesn’t matter.”


Lavender looked dumbfounded. She had no idea what to say. It did not matter. Hermione got up suddenly and scooped up Josiah, who promptly began to cry.


“It’s time to go home now, darling,” she said to him.


He sniffled and buried his face in her chest as she carried him back across the street to their house.


She tucked him into his bed and walked back out to the living room. She collapsed on the couch and began to cry, casting a Muffliato charm around herself to keep from waking Josiah. Shoulders quaking, she sobbed harder than she had in twenty years.


A/N: Thanks for reading. Please review.