Promise to the Past | 🐾 ᴍᴀʀᴀᴜᴅᴇʀs ✓

11 | Keeping Busy with the Weasleys

~Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix 

That was how Lily found her almost an hour later, sitting on the floor curled around herself. Hermione's gaze was seemingly lost, unfocused on everything around her. Lily gently touched her shoulder, snapping Hermione to attention.

"Remus convinced Sirius and James to switch secret keepers back to Sirius as a precaution, and Peter agreed," Lily said quietly. "But they all want to move forward together."

Hermione's brows furrowed in confusion. "They didn't tell-"

"No," Lily quickly reassured. "They didn't tell him. I don't think they want him knowing that they doubted him."

Hermione nodded numbly.

"Come on, let's go home, Hermione."

She let Lily pull her to her feet, but kept her feet planted when Lily tried to lead her down the stairs.

"I don't think I should return to Potter Cottage with you guys," Hermione said, perfectly composed.

Lily turned back to her, guilt tainting her gaze. "Hermione, come on. I know you don't agree on the matter with Peter, but surely you can look beyond it? It's not like Peter lives with us."

"No it's not that, I just don't think I'd be welcome."

Lily got a hard glint in her eyes. "Well it's my house, and you most certainly are welcome there."

"Lily, really I can't stay with you guys forever, this is-"

"Did Sirius say something to you?" she asked abruptly.

"Nothing I didn't already know," Hermione said with a forced but sad smile.

When the girls got back downstairs, Lily told the James, Sirius, and Remus about Hermione's plans, expecting them to back her up on insisting Hermione stay at the cottage. But they all stared at her blankly. She glared at them, demanding silently that they back her up.

"I mean, it's Hermione's choice. She's a grown woman Lils," James said hesitantly.

"Don't look at me, I don't live at the cottage, it's not my call," Sirius said uncaringly.

Remus merely shrugged, looking to Lily guiltily.

Hermione kept up her calm facade, but she'd be lying to herself if she tried to pretend that their attitude didn't sting.

"Well where the bloody hell else would she stay?" Lily demanded angrily.

"Maybe at headquarters if Dumbledore allows it," Hermione pondered. "If not, I can find my own accommodations." After all, she did still have the tent in the purple bag of hers.

"You will do no such thing!" A small redhead swept up to Hermione's side in a chastising tone. "Why would you try and find your own way when we have plenty of space? Besides you're far too thin, must not be taking care of yourself, poor dear."

A bit of the hardness Hermione had forced herself to adopt melted at Molly Weasley's familiar mothering. Maybe not everything changes.

"Oh I couldn't possibly impose," Hermione insisted.

"Nonsense!" Molly said indignantly. "We have plenty of space, don't we Arthur?" She yelled across the room to her husband, who'd been deep in conversation with Kingsley.

"Of course sweetheart," he said immediately, turning to give Hermione a warm smile. "You're more than welcome to stay with us. If anything it'd be a favor to us. We have seven young ones underfoot, and a new person would do wonders at keeping them busy and entertained."