She & Him

Part 37: Meet the Grangers

Ding Dong!

It's kinda early for visitors- but maybe Hermione gets them this early all the time. I try to draw my head away from the odd box on the wall, but the cartoon of the rabbit and the black duck really have me engulfed.

"Darling- can you get that?" Hermione calls from the kitchen.

"Yeah." I mindlessly respond and force myself up to my feet. Going to the door- my eyes still peering over my shoulder at the cartoon- I unlock the door and open it- turning my attention finally to the two older adults on the other side of the door. "Hello?"

"Oh! Good morning! Is um...is Hermione home?" A woman with dark brown hair and dark blue eyes looks at me confused as the man beside her is looking me up and down expectantly.

"Oh...yeah."

"Who is it, Darling?" Hermione calls. I don't even have time to answer as the woman opens her mouth and skirts passed me with a half smile.

"Hi, Pet."

"Mum!! Dad!! What are you doing here?" I'm frozen at the door- fear coursing through my body.

Mum and Dad?!

Dear Lord, I'm going to be crucified- no doubt she's complained about me to them.

"Well we were in the neighborhood and thought we'd come by. It's been a while, Pumpkin. Too long in fact." Her Mum says and I slowly close the door and linger in between it and the living room. Best make my escape while I can...but maybe not.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I've been busy with work and everything." Hermione comes out of the kitchen and hugs them both tightly. My heart twinges.

I'll never receive a hug from my mother or father ever again. I'll never have random pop ins because they're in the neighborhood. For a while, they chatter about her father's dentist position and her mother's knitting club- no one even calling attention to me or Leo for that matter.

"And then Marcie decided to scrap the whole Afghan after all that hard work!"

"That's such a shame." I watch from my frozen stance and wish I had time to just aparate away- but it's too late for Leo's need to run to me and point to the screen pulls all six eyes to us.

"Look at that! It's a Kitty!" Leo happily says and points. Scooping him up in my arms, I kiss his temple and squeeze him.

"Look at the little yellow bird." I point and he giggles.

"Hermione- you didn't even introduce us to your friend." Her father says politely. I pale and Hermione gushes as she jauntily comes over to me and tweaks an arm around mine.

"Yes, I am very intrigued in meeting your friend and his son. You all look so sweet." Her mother coos. Hermione giggles and shakes her head.

"Mum- Dad- this is Draco and this is a little boy he's watching for a while, Leo." Their faces pale and I can tell this is going to go south very quickly. "Draco these are my parents- Kathrine and Paul Granger."

"Pleasure to meet you both." I say and extend the hand, Hermione is clinging too.

"Quite." Her father scornfully says and Katherine seems displeased as well.

"Hermione- may we speak with you in private." Katherine says through a faux smile.

"Um...sure." She says and leaves go of me- taking them to the den. Even though the door is closed- I hear every word said without even having to linger closer.

"Draco? As in the boy who ruined your schooling? The boy who bullied you mercilessly- sent you home on holidays, crying and pleading not to go back to Hogwarts- that Draco?" Katherine says angrily and Hermione doesn't even make a sound before her father jumps in on her.