The Sound Of Silence

Hermione slowly pushed the door open, letting the light from behind her flood the room. She smiled when she saw the girl sleeping amongst her books. She shook her head as she started to move the books from the bed. \"Much too smart for ten.\" She kissed the girl\'s head and tucked the covers around her shoulders. \"Night night baby. Sleep tight.\"

As she snuggled into bed, Hermione wrapped her arms around a pillow. She sighed, doing the same thing she had been doing since for the past ten years. \"Please, please heal my baby girl. Whatever, whoever, and wherever you are, listen to this prayer and heal my daughter.\" Then she buried her face against the pillow and fell asleep.

***

The next morning went as planned. Hermione opened her eyes to a kiss and a smile. She pulled the tall, thin girl into bed and snuggled down under the covers. In their makeshift tent, they started the morning rituals.

\"Sleep well?\" A nod from the girl. \"Any bad dreams?\" A shake of the head. \"Feel like pancakes for breakfast?\" Another shake of the head. \"Cereal again?\" An enthusiastic nod of the head. Hermione sighed. \"All right, run along and take your bath and I\'ll have it waiting for you.\" The girl jumped up and ran back to her room.

Hermione got up, pulling her robe, walking barefoot down the hallway. She fixed her own breakfast and listened for footsteps in the hallway. She had picked up the morning paper and read as she ate. She missed having the owls deliver her mail to her, but living in the Muggle world did involve sacrifices. She heard footsteps and looked up.

Her daughter, Stephanie, was standing there, a grin on her face. She was taller and skinnier than most kids her age. She came over, handing Hermione a brush and a ponytail holder, turning to stand between her knees, waiting.

Hermione brushed out the long wavy hair and pulled it into a high ponytail. She turned Steph around, kissing her nose, pointing to the bowl. \"Eat while I get ready and then we\'ll get you to school and me to work.\" Steph sat, pulling her bowl close, starting to eat. Hermione smiled as she walked back upstairs to get ready.

A little while later, she was coming back down the steps checking her purse. \"Come on Steph. It\'s time to get going.\" She looked up, seeing her sitting watching cartoons on television. Steph turned around, frowning. She made some motions, sign language, and pointed back to the TV.

Hermione shook her head. \"I know you want to finish baby, but we\'ve got to get going. Turn it off and get your book bag.\" Steph was frowning even as she was getting up and turning off the TV. She picked up her bag and started going through it.

Hermione laughed. \"Yes, I signed your paper saying you could go to the museum next week.\" Steph nodded and headed out the car. Hermione laughed as she followed her.

They parked in front of the school. Hermione smiled. \"I can walk you up if you want.\" Steph shook her head, pointing to a group of kids. Hermione nodded. \"All right, you have a great day. I\'ll meet you right here this afternoon of. If you need me, just give me a call.\" Steph nodded, kissed her and then getting out of the car.

***

Hermione parked the car, grabbing her bag and getting out. She was late. Only by ten minutes, but her editor would still have something to say. He could be worse than Snape some days. She made her way up to her desk and was just turning on her computer when her intercom came to life. \"GRANGER, MY OFFICE NOW!\"

She walked into to his office and he pointed to a chair. She took the seat, waiting for the yelling to start. He looked at her. \"I\'m running a magazine here. Ten minutes late this morning, fifteen yesterday. How do you expect to get anything done?\"

Hermione sighed. \"I\'m sorry Frank, it\'s just tI haI had to call another specialist this morning.\" Frank nodded. \"Look, I know you want Steph to get better, but one more late morning and you\'re not going to have a job to fund her recovery. Now get out there and get to work.\" She nodded, heading back out to her desk.

***

After work, Hermione drove back to the school. She frowned when Steph and her teacher weren\'t waiting outside. She parked the car and headed inside. She walked to Steph\'s classroom and entered.

The teacher was sitting on the floor, holding and rocking Stephanie. Hermione sat down beside them and reached for her. Steph looked up and saw her Mommy and buried her head against her, silent sobs rocking her body.

The teacher sighed and got up. She handed Hermione a paper that announced a Father/Child picnic being given by the school. Hermione sighed and kissed Steph\'s head. The teacher shook her head. \"That\'s not all. Some kids were teasing her outside, saying sidn\idn\'t have a Dad because she was a freak that couldn\'t talk.\"

Hermione hugged the little girl closer. \"It\'s ok baby. Those kids are just jealous that they\'re not as special as you. Come on. Let\'s go home, ok?\" Steph nodded, standing up, still holding onto her. The teacher handed Hermione her book bag, smiling. \"Good-bye Steph. I\'ll see you tomorrow.\"

***

After dinner, mother and daughter were laying on the couch watching TV. Steph sat up, looking at Mommy. She signed a question. Hermione sighed. \"No, you are not a freak. You were just made special.\" Steph signed another question. \"No baby. This isn\'t something I can fix with magic. Believe me, I tried when you were little.\" Steph bit her lip, thinking, then asking another question. Hermione shook her head. \"Baby, we\'ve talked about this. Yes, you do have a Daddy. He just doesn\'t come to see you because we live so far away.\" Steph frowned then lay back down beside Mommy. She twisted one of Mommy\'s curls around her finger. Hermione rocked until she fell asleep.

After she tucked Stephanie in, Hermione sat in her room and looked at a photo album from Hogwarts. She chuckled at Ron and Harry being the gits they always were. She turned the pages, seeing pictures of them both playing Qudditch. Ron had gotten so much better after their 5th year. She turned to the last pages of the book. Graduation. Twelve years had passed since then. Twelve years and one war later. It was amaziow mow much things could change.

Her eyes went to a picture of Stephanie sitting on her night stand. It was a muggle shot, but it captured her at one of her best moments. She was little, not even a year old, sitting in a high chair, covered in spaghetti, laughing. Hermione could still hear that laughter. Nine years without a sound. No medical explanation for it. Even magic didn\'t help.

She bit her lip as she looked back down at the Hogwarts album. Well, her magic didn\'t help anyway. She hadn\'t dared to go back to the Magical world for help. There were to many hurt feelings and to much anger still there. She sighed as she put the book back on the shelf then turned off the light and crawled into bed. Tomorrow was another day. Maybe a miracle would come with the morning light.

It wasn\'t a miracle. It wasn\'t anything close to a miracle. There was no smile and good morning kiss. There was no snuggling, pretending to argue over breakfast. In fact, there was no Stephanie at all.

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Thanks to everyone who\'s read over this. Thanks especially to Lily Malfoy for beta-ing for me.

I\'m not making any money off this story. Everything except the plot and Stephanie belong to Madam Rowling, although if she needed someone to exercise Snape every now and again, I would volunteer.