Hogwarts: A History (Hermione's Version)

Chapter 17

Christmas 1993

Chuckling, Remus watched the three young wizards and the witch in front of him. After they had gotten off the train for Christmas break, somehow Hermione had convinced him that it was time to teach her the Patronus charm. She had roped Harry, Draco, and Theo into it as well. It was probably one of the first times he had seen the three boys so eager and willing to learn anything. "Alright Draco, why don't you try one more time? Remember, think of your happiest memory. Now hold onto it, let it fill you up."

"Expecto Patronum," Draco said and the three other children watched with an awestruck look on their faces as a dragon came out of his wand, flying around the room.

"Draco! You did it!" Hermione squealed, clapping her hands and gasping in delight as it soared around her. Draco smiled to himself, but then his smile grew even bigger as he watched Hermione cast her own, the little silvery otter dancing around all of them. Remus couldn't help but smirk as he watched the two of them around each other. There was something there but he wasn't quite sure exactly what it was. He was going to have to admit that Sirius was right and he hated that.  "Draco what did you think of? To conjure it?"

"Oh um," Draco said scratching the back of his head before chuckling again. "The first time I rode a broom?"

"I'm going to tell dad and Narcissa!" Hermione smiled, bounding out of the room as she called for Sirius and Narcissa.

"Your broom?" Remus smirked, crossing his arms.

"That's not what he thought of," Harry laughed. "He thought of Mi. She's what makes him happiest."

"Shut up Potter!" Draco bit out, his face turning red.

"Draco do you have a bit of a crush on my daughter?"

"No! No sir!"

"He so does," Harry laughed, rubbing his eyes.

"I said shut up Potter!"

"Don't be so dramatic Draco," Theo smirked. "You don't have to admit it. We know."

The room echoed with laughter before Remus took pity on the young man and corralled the other two boys into continuing to work on the charm. Across the manor, Sirius sat with James and Lucius discussing the problem of the rat still missing.

"And you have no leads?" Lucius asked, looking at the two of them with a raised eyebrow. While Peter Pettigrew had never been necessarily an issue for him, he knew the depths of betrayal that had festered with the other men. He had been their best friend and he tried to get them all killed.

"None," James sighed, running his fingers through his mop of raven hair. The truth of the matter was that he and Sirius were no closer to finding the little bastard than they had been months before.

"Are the dementors still at the school?" he asked as he stood and stepped over to grab the crystal decanter of firewhiskey sitting on his shelf.

"Unfortunately," Sirius grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. "But they had stayed away from the kids and that is why I've been there in the first place."

"Speaking of the children," Lucius said, speaking the words that would segway into a different conversation. Perhaps one not as morose, he thought to himself as he poured them all another glass. "How are Hermione's healing sessions going?"

"They are..." Sirius paused, throwing back his drink before sighing. "The first few sessions were... they were tough. She would barely look at Remus and me."

"Harry wrote home about it," James admitted. "He was worried. She wasn't eating or speaking to anyone."

"She's had a lot to work through," Sirius spoke. "But she's getting better. Remus and I were asked to join the last two sessions. The things I've learned... about the muggles that had her before we did. If it wasn't for having a daughter I don't want to leave behind... I would gladly go to Azkaban for their murder."