Truth or Dare ✔️

AE - 13

Back in Oxfordshire, Doctor and Misses Granger sat at their kitchen table over a quick breakfast of coffee and toast before leaving to travel to London to pick Hermione up from King's Cross Station when the telephone rang. "Who would be calling at this hour," he said.

She shook her head. "No idea?"

"I'll get it," he replied in an annoyed tone. "Hello..."

"Daddy!"

"Hello Sweetheart! How are you! Are you excited to be coming home?"

There was a slight pause. "Of course, Daddy! Is Mum there?"

"Yes she is, is everything alright? You don't sound quite like yourself..."

"Everything's fine Daddy...erm...girl stuff..."

Doctor Granger chuckled. "Ah, alright then?" He handed the telephone to his wife. "It's 'Mione..."

"Oh!" She took the receiver from her husband. "Yes Darling! Is everything alright?"

"Yes Mum, of course. Can you go into the other room please? I need to tell you something important. Several things, actually."

She breathed in deeply. "I can, yes." She rose from her chair and headed for her office. Once inside the room, she closed the door and sat down at her desk. "Alright. But before you begin, does this have anything to do with Sirius?"

"Yes."

"I thought so. Please don't tell me that you're pregnant..."

"No Mum, I'm not."

"Oh, thank god!"

"Sirius already has a daughter actually."

"Oh does he?"

"Yes, I only learned of her a few days ago...She's the sweetest baby..."

"Alright...where the hell are you? I know there aren't any telephones in or near Hogwarts..."

"We're in France, at the Dog House."

Misses Granger sighed. "Well then, I suppose a trip to Scotland is out."

"I'm sorry, Mum..."

"I rather doubt that. I can't believe that you didn't consult us first, Hermione Jean!"

Hermione's tears streaked her face and Sirius held her hand tightly. "There wasn't anything to discuss. I tried to find you and Daddy! I couldn't find either of you!"

"That's no excuse! A letter would have at least started a dialog!"

Hermione wept into the telephone.

"Your father is going to have a coronary over this!"

"Muuuummmm...."

Misses Granger huffed into the telephone. "Is he there with you?"

"Yeeeessss..."

"Give him the telephone. NOW."

Hermione let the receiver flip in her fingers and she held out her arm, the receiver facing upward. Sirius looked at it. "For me, I take it?" Hermione nodded her head and placed her head on her arms after he relieved her of it. His hand flattened on her back and he rubbed at her skin in large calming circles. "Yes?"

"You have a hell of a lot of explaining to do, Mister Black!"

"I will answer any questions or concerns that you have," he replied.

"Well, how's this for starters...How the hell can you even think of marrying a child...MY CHILD!"

"She's very nearly the age of consent," he said.