Promise to the Past | 🐾 ᴍᴀʀᴀᴜᴅᴇʀs ✓

19 | Old Enemies

~ The Burrow

"Hermione! I'm so glad you're feeling better!" A young woman with vibrant red hair cried before rushing into Hermione's arms. She drew back, scanning Hermione from head to toe. "You are better right?"

"Yes," Hermione responded, chuckling in amusement. "I'm fine Lily, good as new."

It was another Order dinner at the Burrow and the place was buzzing with people. Word had spread about the major strides made in defeating Voldemort; now that the Horcruxes were gone they had decided that it was okay to reveal the truth of the matter to the rest of the Order. However, as Dumbledore recommended, Hermione's identity was still kept tightly under wraps.

James came around, juggling a fussy Harry in his arms. "Hey Hermione," he greeted distractedly as he wrestled his glasses out of his son's tiny fingers while Harry merely giggled in merriment at his father's distress.

"James, Harry," she coed, drawing the baby's attention.

Upon seeing Hermione, baby Harry's features immediately lit up and his arms came up in the time old gesture to be picked up. She looked at James for permission but he was looking at his son in amusement, giving Hermione an encouraging smile. When she gently pulled Harry to come rest on her hip, his hands immediately latched around her neck like a monkey.

"My!" he gurgled. "My! Mymymymymy!"

"Well hello to you too," she said dramatically back at the child, making him giggle in glee.

James and Lily watched the pair fondly as Lily stepped back into the warm embrace of her husband.

"Hey, maybe you should babysit the little devil more often," James said jokingly. "He seems like he's always on his best behavior for you."

"Oy!" A familiar voice cried out. "Everyone knows I'm Harry's favorite!"

"I think you've been replaced, Padfoot," Remus said in amusement, joining their little circle from the opposite direction.

Hermione looked at the group congregated around her, surprised by everyone's sudden appearance. They'd simply materialized on cue even despite not hearing any of their previous conversation.

"How do you all do that?"

"Animagi," the boys all smirked cockily. Lily made eye contact with Hermione, subtly rolling her eyes.

"She's a girl, it doesn't count," Sirius insisted. "Clearly we're raising Harry to be a charmer, so obviously he's going to bring out the big guns for Hermione."

"Do you even know what guns are?" Hermione asked dryly.

He shot her an unamused look, as if to say 'who do you take me for?'

"I mean it's true, Harry only has one Godfather," Lily said innocently. "But he always has room in his life for a Godmother," she continued, smiling mischievously.

"Urm..." Hermione said hesitantly, looking back at James hesitantly. She knew they'd technically resolved all their misunderstandings, but she still felt like she walked on eggshells around them sometimes. James' eyes grew comically large, making Hermione's stomach sink in anxiety. But he surprised her when he picked Lily up, spinning her with a bark of laughter.

"I always knew you were a genius, witch. I mean what better candidate is there? She literally traveled across time for our baby," he said gleefully, turning to Hermione with a wide and uninhibited smile.

"You can't be serious," Hermione said in disbelief.

"No of course not," Sirius snapped, before a grin broke out over his face. "I'm Sirius."