Vanilla

Chapter 7: Meet the Parents (Part 2)

"Harry! She's waking up!"

Rose Granderson... wait... Grand... Grange... Granger... started to stir. Her head was resting on a pillow, her body was stretched out on the couch and she was lying on her left side. She slowly peeled her eyes open. The first thing she saw was a mass of bushy, brown hair. She tried identifying the voice she had just heard, but was having a hard time placing it. She blinked repeatedly, her eyes trying to focus on the person's face that was in front of her. Finally, it registered in her brain just who she was looking at.

"Hermione!" Rose yelled, lunging at her daughter. Throwing her arms around Hermione's neck, she pulled her into a hug and began squeezing her daughter with as much strength as she could muster. "Oh god sweetie! What happened? It's like I remember, but I don't! I love you Hermione! Where's Walter? Where's Harry?" Rose said as she began to cry.

"Mum! Mum! It's okay, calm down, Harry and I will explain everything, I promise! I love you too! Daddy's okay, Harry's with him. He wasn't woken up yet. I missed you so much!" Hermione said, tears flowing freely now that her mother remembered just who she was.

After a few moments, Harry came into the living room to join the Granger women. "Hermione, your dad is starting to come around, and I don't think that I should be the one he sees first, that is if I want to live to see my next birthday."

The Granger women disentangled, and Hermione stood up. She walked over to Harry and placed a tender kiss on his cheek, and went into the spare bedroom where her father was. Harry assumed Hermione's position on the floor next to Rose.

"Mrs. Granger, I want to apologize for what happened earlier, and we'll try and explain everything as best we can. I know this isn't exactly the best way for me to meet my girlfriend's parents, but I hope that you'll forgive Hermione and I in time."

Rose finally sat up on the couch and pulled her legs underneath her. She looked Harry in the eye, and saw what she interpreted as sincerity and remorse. With that, she let out a small grin. "Harry, yes, you two have some explaining to do. But I can see that you didn't want to do whatever it is you did, but that it was necessary.

"As far as the 'you-dating-my-daughter' thing... well... it's not totally unexpected young man. I've listened to so many stories about you that I feel like you should be calling me 'Mum' already. I figured it was just a matter of time before you two realized you had more than friendly feelings for each other. And there will be no more of this Mrs. Granger pish-posh. You were calling me Rose at dinner, and you shall call me Rose from now on. Understand?"

"Yes Mrs. Granger... ma'am... ugh... Rose... sorry..." Harry sputtered out.

Rose could only chuckle at the stuttering young man before her. "It's ok Harry. Now, I should warn you; Walter is a pretty stubborn fellow, so as long as your explanation holds water, I'll be on yours and Hermione's side."

"Thank you, and now I know where Hermione gets her stubbornness from," Harry said as he and Rose shared a laugh at Walter and Hermione's expense. Harry could tell that he was going to get along quite well with Rose. 'It only makes sense. Hermione is so much like her Mum it's scary. I have no doubt that I'll get along with Mrs. Granger, er, Rose. Mr. Granger on the other hand...'

"So tell me Harry, how long have you two been a couple? I've been expecting this for a while now you know. I've heard all about this... what was her name? Cho? Chong? Chang?"