The fire pit casts odd shadows to flash on everyone's faces as they sat around it. Hermione was wrapped in a quilted blanket, knees drawn up to her chest. She had Harry on one side of her, and Luna on the other.
Teddy had gone to bed nearly straight after dinner, sun exhausted and eager to wake up in the morning for his official birthday. Which would include more than enough presents, as well as another day spent on the beach before popping into town for ice cream.
Molly and Arthur, as well as Lily, James, Sirius, and Remus, had gone to bed a short while ago as well. 'Let you kids have your fun.' Arthur had said, before winking at Fred who beamed back before slipping into the house.
"How is the wedding plan coming along?" Audrey asked gently, stumbling over her words a bit from the cocktails Sirius had been mixing only a few short hours ago, as a reward for the winning team of the volleyball match.
Hermione had not been on the winning team, as she had had Fred on her team and Fred found joy in body-slamming people in the water in his attempts to hit the ball, though he often did not even come close. But it was all in good fun, and George kept score on the beach in the sand.
"Brilliantly." Ron beamed, and Luna seconded his smile with a dreamy look.
"Mum tells me it's going to be on the farm?" Ginny asked, taking a long sip of water.
Hermione let the conversation wash over her as she scanned the drinks everyone was consuming. Ginny, of course, had water though they hadn't told anyone the news yet. Harry had a beer, as well as Fred, and Angelina was sipping on a virgin seltzer.
Hermione jumped her gaze over to Audrey, to find her with a beer, and the first relaxed look on her face that Hermione had seen all day. Fleur, however, had a water bottle in her grasp and Hermione nearly blurted out her realization but bit her tongue harshly.
She moved her eyes, intending on landing them back on Luna who was explaining her color vision when she caught sight of George's eyes on her. He quirked one eyebrow, tilted his head, and mouthed a 'what?'. A beer in his loose grip was propped on his knee, though Hermione had lost count well into the afternoon.
Hermione flushed, before tapping her can in her hand. George nodded, then Hermione slyly pointed to Ginny, who just happen to take another sip of her water.
He turned back to Hermione, nodding as his eyebrows drew in together.
'Angelina' Hermione mouthed softly, pointing beside him where Angelina sat. He flicked his gaze over, and his eyes widened slightly surprised before turning to her, Hermione beamed and then pointed to Fleur.
George's eyes flew to Fleur's hands, where she was unscrewing the cap of her water bottle.
"What are you two doing?" Hermione jumped, nearly losing her beer to see Harry looking at her strangely.
"I-Uhm, we-" Hermione stuttered out, eyes darting to Ginny as she flushed ten shades of pink and her beer bottle slipped from her hand, falling to the sand.
Ron smirked, opening his mouth to prod for answers when Ginny spoke up.
"I'm pregnant!" She yelped, before slamming a hand over her mouth in horror. Hermione turned to her startled, shocked she had announced it in general but also for the nature in which she did.
"We are too!" Fred suddenly shouted before he was knocked over by a stiff arm to the shoulder by Angelina.
"Fred!" She shouted, clenching her can in her fist while Fred sheepishly pulled himself from the sand, and collapsed back in his chair.
"What? We are." He grumbled, a flush working on his cheeks.
"We are pregnant too!" Fleur suddenly gushed, clapping her hands excitedly. Bill beamed, snaking an arm around her waist and pulling her tighter to him.
"Bullshit, the lot of you are lying!" Charlie demanded, slapping his knee in shock. "Go on, tell the fucking truth!" He demanded, pointing a finger at Fred.
Fred huffed, glared, and then proudly stated. "Two months today, jerk." He declared, then proudly leaned over to clap George's shoulder, who returned the notion with a head nod.
"Now Mum's going to be grilling my ass," Charlie whined, tilting his head back, clearly the effects of the multiple Ale's he had drank since dinner taking effect. "Hermione, do me a favor-"
"Absolutely not," Hermione stated at once, earning a round of laughter from the group.
"I wasn't going to ask that, I was going to ask if you could possibly beat me over the head with one of your big books. Make it look like an accident." He declared, driving his fist into his palm for emphasis.
Hermione rolled her eyes as everyone chuckled before Percy intervened.
"Why aren't you dating anyone, Mione?" Percy asked, leaning into Audrey, his cheeks pink from seltzers.
Hermione squirmed in her chair and wrapped her hand around her can before answering. "I don't know, just don't really have the time, I suppose." Hermione shrugged, picking at her fingernail with her thumb.
"I know we tease you about George, but besides that.." Ginny waved off George, who flicked his gaze to her in annoyance before continuing. "What about Nott? I mean, he clearly likes you and you haven't even so much as entertained the idea."
Hermione groaned, sinking into her chair as Ron chortled with laughter, having always found Theo's declaration of love quite humorous.
"Who's Nott?" Bill asked, tapping his fingers against Fleur's spine.
"We've nicknamed him lover boy." Ginny proudly declared.
"He sends her flowers, cards, and even jewelry occasionally." Ron supplied.
"He's my top paying customer." Harry boasted.
"He's an obsessive asshole," Hermione grumbled, hiding her face behind her knees as Ron and Harry shook with more laughter.
"Oh, I think it's romantic, don't you?" Luna said, draping her hand over Ron's arms.
"That is quite cute, Hermione." Angelina supplied, tilting her head thoughtfully. "Why don't you give him a chance?" She asked curiously.
"Because he's got no right to be obsessed with me," Hermione grumbled, lifting her face from behind her knees to glare at Ginny who only grinned back.
"Oh, but you deserve someone who's obsessed over you," Audrey interjected, her business-like tone dropping in. "He'll dote on you, and-" Audrey went to continue, but Hermione shook her head cutting her off.
"I don't need doting, Coach does enough of that for me." She declared though it didn't hold nearly the amount of confidence she had been hoping for, her point was made as Charlie sighed dramatically.
"I've got a friend." Luna declared, leaning over to grab Hermione's bicep. "Names Lockhart, a total sweetheart and he won't dote if you don't want him to." She then pulled back, satisfied as if Hermione had agreed to whoever this guy was.
"Lockhart's a nice guy, grows tea leaves out in Fremont county." Ron nodded, also in agreement with the guy it seemed. "But he's like forty-something." He suddenly remembered, wrinkling his nose.
"Oh! What about McLaggen, he's the science teacher at my school." Ginny jumped in, finger pointed at the air. "He just recently broke up with his girlfriend from St. Ives-"
"Hate St. Ives." George and Hermione grumbled at the same time, though it went over everyone's heads as Ginny continued rambling.
"Rather rough around the edges, but good looking, I suppose." She nodded, satisfied with her testimony about him.
"There's Diggory at the bank, quiet fella but he's a hard worker." Percy supplied, shrugging as if it didn't matter in the slightest to him, Hermione supposed it probably didn't.
"See! You've got loads to choose from, up and pick one." Fred declared, waving his hands about.
"I don't know any of these people, I will not just pick one," Hermione argued, biting her tongue to keep from arguing further.
"Well, you know me." Charlie beamed, leaning forward in his seat. "And I am always ready, boss." Charlie winked and tipped his beer toward her before taking a long sip.
"I'd sooner eat oysters than go out with you, Charlie Weasley." Hermione snipped back, earning a low whistle of approval from Fred and a round of booming laughter from everyone else, including Charlie who often told everyone he was destined to be a single man.
'I don't need to be tied down Mum, well I mean I'd like to but not like that, you know?'
"Besides, Coach and I are good. We've got our routines and our schedules. I don't need some boy I don't know mucking it all up." She decided, folding her arms over her lap as she grew more confident in her answers.
That'll steer them away for a while. Until the wedding or god forbid, Valentine's day.
"So you'd like to date someone you possibly already know?" Angelina supplied softly, though Hermione didn't see the delighted glance she shot at Ginny.
"I mean preferably, yeah. I like my life, and would rather not abruptly change it just because of some boy." Hermione shuddered, the softly added. "Plus, you know my parents." She finished, clamping her mouth shut.
She glanced first at Fred, who was nodding thoughtfully before glancing over at Charlie, which was about as close as she could get to look at George.
"What are you doing?" Hermione asked at once.
"Writing this down, so I can swoon you later." Charlie declared, somehow having conjured up what looked like an old receipt, and a pencil that was snapped in half.
"I hear McGonagalls's still single." Hermione chimed, glancing at George. His attention was past her, gazing out on the dark ocean with his beer clenched tightly in his right hand. Hermione watched, and just as she was going to move her eyes away, she saw his middle finger bounce three times before stilling.
"McGonagall couldn't handle me, I'd sweep her right off her little kitten heel feet." Charlie boasted, folding the receipt in half, he leaned over, past the fire, and held it out to George.
He tore his gaze off the ocean to look at his brother but didn't reach for the paper.
"Hold on to this, will you? I've gotta piss." He declared, tossing it gently. George's hand twitched, catching it in his hand before he settled it in his lap.
"I'll join you!" Fred declared, stumbling out of his seat.
"Stream race!" Charlie shouted, jumping over the arm of Ginny's chair before racing across the sand to the bushes.
Hermione sighed, kicking the quilted blanket off her feet before relaxing her head back against the cushion of the couch. She had excused herself from the bonfire after her embarrassment of a conversation, put out she wasn't drunk enough to forget it and asked Ginny where she was crashing before being promptly told 'the den'.
Hermione turned her head when the door opened, and Coach who was laying between her legs jolted before laying back down when he recognized who had walked in.
George came stepping down the steps, backpack slung over his shoulder.
"You don't like being doted on?" He asked, dropping his bag at the foot of the couch opposite her.
Hermione was going to positively throttle Ginny in the morning. Though she supposed Charlie was crashing in the living room. Who's snores could rock a house off its foundation-it was still rather interesting George had been thrown in a room with her.
Last year, she and Teddy shared the children's nook up in the attic-which meant Hermione had woken up every morning to Teddy sprawled across her chest and Coach across her legs.
"I never said that," Hermione stated at once, reaching down to stroke Coach's fur gently. He was exhausted, a day in the waves and chasing after Teddy had worn him down, but Hermione knew he'd be right back to it, happily, tomorrow.
"But you don't want that Nott kid doting over you?" George asked, stepping towards the small bathroom. It was only a toilet and sink really, with barely enough room to change if you needed to.
"Right," Hermione answered, shifting her gaze up to the ceiling. Her words were calculated, and well thought out and why was George still insistent on not wearing a shirt?
She listened, as George brushed his teeth then she heard clothes ruffling as he changed, before the light flicked off and he walked back over to the couch, pulling the quilted blanket off the back to spread over himself.
"Goodnight, Granger," George stated, folding his hands on his chest.
"Goodnight, George," Hermione responded, turning to shove her face into the couch cushions and count sheep until she promptly fell asleep.
Not-and if anyone dared to ask she'd pour salt in their coffee-not listening to George's calming breaths as he fell into his own slumber, peacefully.
Hermione stumbled out into the kitchen, wiping at her eyes and attempting not to trip over Coach who was racing her to run out the back doors.
She stood in the entryway of the kitchen, to see it in the chaos of people but it seemed organized. Lily caught her eyes and pointed to the table where a mug of coffee was sitting steaming. Hermione nodded her head in gratitude and made her way over.
George had still been sleeping when she had woken up this morning, and only her pressing bladder had dragged her off the couch.
It wasn't twenty minutes later, the rest of the family stumbled into the kitchen. Fred was beaming, stating he had successfully avoided a hangover, while Charlie promptly flipped him off from the couch in the sitting room, a hand over his eyes.
"So, kid." Hermione tore her eyes off George, who was standing at the coffee pot staring at it as he waited for it to fill, as they needed a second pot already. She turned to find Sirius sitting across from her, hands folded around a cup of tea and smiling.
"Yes, grandpa?" Hermione drawled, earning a frown from him and a snort of amusement from Remus who had settled in the seat beside him.
"I'm ignoring that because I adore you too much." He declared, clapping his hands together. "Ginny tells me you have suitors, but you won't take a single one of them." He declared.
Hermione turned slowly, finding Ginny in the mess of the kitchen, and glared at her until she broke.
"He cornered me! Overheard me and Harry talking about it while he got up for the bathroom, I couldn't say no, Mione." Ginny begged, struggling to appease Teddy's demands for a banana before shooting Hermione a sorry look.
"You aren't still hung up on Ron, are you?" Sirius asked.
Ron squawked, before choking dramatically on his sip of tea. Luna pounded his back with her hand, her head tilted back in laughter.
"No, Sirius. I am not still hung up on a schoolyard relationship from six years ago." Hermione sighed, staring down at her coffee, disappointed to see it nearly empty. A hand appeared and took it from her grasp. She looked up to see George holding the pot, pouring her a mug before handing it back and turning away.
"Well good." Sirius declared, patting Remus' leg under the table. "Because I've got a younger brother, he may be a tad too old for you-"
"Coach, you stop it right there." The kitchen froze at the sound of Hermione's stern voice, something she didn't use often. Everyone turned slowly, to see Coach with one dripping foot hovering over the hardwood of the house. He backed it out slowly, hanging his head sheepishly before turning around to trot his dripping-wet form down the steps.
"That was kind of hot." Charlie piped up from the sitting room.
"Charlie!" Molly and Lily yelped at the same time, only Lily threw a couch cushion she was leaning on at him.
"Yeah-no, Regulus wouldn't like that. He likes soft women." Sirius decided, shaking his head sadly.
"I'm not dating your brother, Sirius." Hermione sighed, before looking at him confused. "Isn't he married?" She asked suddenly, a distant memory of Harry missing a week of school for a destination wedding fluttered through her brain. It had been Russia or Norway, she couldn't quite remember.
"Yes, but I don't like her." Sirius crinkled his nose, before continuing. "She can't make a minced pie to save her life, who can't make minced pie?" He asked.
"You can't make a minced pie, babe." Remus drawled, turning a page in his book on the table.
"I know..." Sirius sighed dramatically, turning to push his face against his shoulder. "But you can." He fluttered his eyelashes dreamily up at Remus, causing the man to sigh, and bend over to plant a gentle kiss on his forehead before turning back to his book.
Hermione turned away, focusing back on her coffee and lifting her gaze to see what she could scrounge up for breakfast. She was startled to see George dicing up vegetables beside Angelina, who was instructing him. She had never seen George cook before and was apparently under the false assumption that he couldn't.
"You are staring." Hermione jumped again, turning to find Fred sitting beside her, where he definitely hadn't been thirty seconds ago. He propped his chin on his hand and gazed dreamily at Angelina.
"Was not," Hermione mumbled, pushing out her chair to stand.
"Well, I am," Fred stated proudly, grinning as Hermione backed out of the kitchen towards the front porch. "And I'm not afraid to admit it, Granger!" Fred hollered after her, though his voice died in the chaos of the family talking over one another.
Hermione slipped, taking a deep breath, out the back doors and down the wooden steps. Plucking a banana from a bowl on the dining room table as she went, before toeing her way across the sand down towards the water.
Coach gave three definite barks in greeting, before turning back to paw at the waves licking the shore.
Hermione took a seat a few feet away from him, opening her banana while balancing her coffee cup on the sand.
While she loved the Potter/Weasley family dearly, sometimes they could be overbearing. Having grown up as an only child, up until the age of fourteen when she promptly became an orphan that is, her house had always been relatively quiet.
Her father was an author, and he was one of the big reasons the Grangers laid down roots in St. John's, more specifically, the old farmhouse that Hermione now owns. It was quiet, out of the way, and had a study with a huge bay window for him to write in. He adored it, and her mother worked extra hard to make it a family home.
Her mother, a blessed soul she was, volunteered at the elementary school in her free time, namely once Hermione started going to school. She had coddled, and taken care of Hermione and her friends for years. Harry, Ron, and whichever of Ron's siblings desired to tag along, loved coming around to the Granger household because it always meant a snack, and endless fun.
Her mother adored children, and one of her biggest wishes was to be a grandmother.
At age of fourteen, teens in St. John's begin to learn how to drive. At the age of sixteen said teen can then drive into St. Ives to obtain their licenses.
Hermione had been driving down the highway, her father in the passenger seat of their old Chevy truck and her mother in the middle. Coaxing her into using her turn signals, pressing her brakes at the right time, and making sure her headlights were on as the sun began to set.
They were returning from a dinner party at one of her mother's teacher friends at the Elementary school. The entire Weasley family had been there, as well as the Potters. Hermione had spent the majority of the dinner party in the backyard, up in the tree house with the rest of the kids with the platter of dessert candies, while the twins entertained with stories.
Her parents had asked her if she wanted to drive them home, and she had jumped at the chance.
Her mother, a lover of anything Frank Sinatra, reached over and turned the radio up before leaning into her husband as they both softly sang along. Hermione was giddy, excitement pulsing through her veins as she worked her way slowly down the highway. Going ten under the speed limit, but she hadn't passed a car in miles and the roads seemed deserted.
As the song built up, Sinatra's voice leaked out the cracked truck windows as her mother and father sang louder, enjoying the moment with their daughter.
Hermione spared her parents a glance, as her father kissed her mother on the last syllable of the song. She turned back to ensure she was keeping the truck between the lines, when she clarified she was, she lifted her gaze back up to the road ahead of her to see two white beaming headlights directly in front of her.
"Hermione!" Her mother had screamed, reaching over, her mother had yanked the wheel hard, only the other driver seemed to have a similar idea, and yanked as well.
Hermione could recall the sound of the two trucks crashing into one another, but she couldn't tell you much else after that.
Only, that when she finally reopened her eyes, her ears were ringing and Molly Weasley was sobbing while pulling her out of the truck. They had left after the Granger's, piling all the kids in their big farm truck, when they turned a bend and saw a horrifying sight.
Mr. and Mrs. Granger were sprawled out in the middle of the road, a few hundred feet away their truck had rolled into a ditch, with Hermione still inside of it.
The truck at fault was at a stop, sideways in the road with its hood bent up at an odd angle and the driver, passed out over his steering wheel. A bottle of whiskey lay empty on his passenger seat.
Molly had pushed Hermione into Percy's arms, who was seventeen and not at all a fan of blood in any capacity, but he kept his mouth shut and hid Hermione's gaze.
Molly tended to Mrs. Granger, while Bill held her head steady with shaky hands. She was still breathing, but the pool of blood beneath her body was growing by the second.
Arthur was pushing Charlie's hands away from Mr. Granger, whispering that it was too late.
Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny sat stone silent in the back of the truck as two ambulance's from St. Ives came screaming around the corner. They stayed huddled in the truck until their parents came back covered in blood and told them that Bill was to take them home and that they were going to accompany Hermione to the hospital.
Not one Weasley child spoke the rest of the night, and when they rose the next morning, Molly sat her children down and explained what had happened.
That it was a drunk, who had lost his way home from a bar in St. Ives and somehow managed to get himself on the highway to St. John's, where he managed to hit the Grangers. Hermione had been driving, and was injured but going to be okay.
Mr. Granger had died at the scene, and Mrs. Granger on the way to the hospital.
Ron had shakily asked the question all of his siblings were fearing.
"What's going to happen to Hermione?"
Molly had stared at her children for a beat too long, instilling a sense of fear in them for a brief moment, as they all assumed the worst. Until Arthur came into the kitchen, exhausted and for once in his long life of farming, was going to neglect his chores for the day, and told them.
"Her aunt is coming to take care of her, don't you worry." Arthur had told them all gently.
Hermione didn't finish out her school year and was therefore put in summer school under her aunt's orders. Molly dropped baked goods on their front porch every morning, and slowly the Weasley kids realized they weren't welcome back to the Granger's house.
They, of course, tried on several occasions, popping up and ringing the doorbell. Hermione's aunt would answer, scream at them to leave then slam the door. They would catch a glance of Hermione hunkered down inside the house, tears on her cheeks and offering small waves.
When Hermione stepped into school the next year, she dropped her bag at the lunch table the Weasleys and Harry shared, and announced she didn't want to talk about it and that she was still their friend, whether they liked it or not.
Since then, no one breathed a word.
"Auntie Mione!" Hermione turned, wiping a stray tear from the corner of her eye, and greeted Teddy with a big smile.
"It's time for presents!" He cheered, running over to pull at her arm. Hermione let him and held his hand all the way up into the house. Lily, upon spotting her face pulled her into a hug and pushed another cup of coffee into her hands before turning to dote on her grandson. Lily, out of all of them, always seemed to know.
George caught her eye from across the room, where he was leaning near the bay windows against the wall, a cup of coffee in one hand while the other hand was shoved deep in his pocket. He raised a questioning eyebrow her way, but Hermione ignored it and instead sought out Sirius who would let her push herself against his side without asking any additional questions, as he was just one of those people who understood without having to ask questions.
Teddy ripped through each presents like his mum was going to up and take them away from him right then and there. From his Weasley grandparents, he had received an art set, which had sent his eyes as wide as saucers and made Ginny grumble about 'painting on the walls'.
Ron and Luna had gotten him a block set.
His Potter grandparents had gotten him a wooden kitchen set, that he ordered Harry to start constructing right away.
His Lupin grandparents had gotten him a pretend guitar as well as a leather jacket that he pulled on straight away, earning a large grin from Sirius and a mouthed 'im sorry' from Remus.
Bill and Fleur had gifted him clothes, that he tossed at his mother one by one as he delightfully critiqued each and every one.
Charlie had gifted him an ant farm, that had Ginny red in the face as she glared at him but Teddy was delighted by his newfound pet.
Percy and Audrey had gifted him an array of stuffed animals, as well as a make-believe doctor medical bag that he promptly dumped out on the floor, and turned to pretend to stab one of the stuffed bears with the needle. Sending Percy's eyes wide.
Angelina and Fred gifted him a sports kit, with every sort of ball one could think of.
Hermione had gifted him a few books, as well as a little book of free coupons to come to visit Coach (and her) anytime he pleased.
George had stolen the show by gifting him a bike that he secretly wrapped in a large box. Teddy's scream had caused more than half of them to clamp their hands over their ears before he was tugging George out the backdoor demanding he teaches him how to ride it.
George went with a red-tipped ear, and an awkward wave at his sister that earned a gentle smile in return.
"Alright, kids' on clean up, grandma's on lunch and grandpa's should probably go supervise the bike expedition." Lily clapped, pushing Arthur, James, and Sirius out the backdoor while tugging Molly and Remus into the kitchen. Leaving everyone else to clean up, dumping wrapping paper into the fire pit for use that night.
"Auntie Mione, I want to jump off the dock with you." Teddy pulled a face at his Mum as she yanked his arm towards her to rub down with sunscreen, Ginny either didn't see it or choose to ignore it.
"You do?" Hermione stalled, kicking her flip-flops to the corner of the picnic blanket, all the lawn chairs had been stolen by every other adult, and more than half of them were already napping in the sun.
It seemed like Fred's hangover had finally swooped in, and he was currently sprawled on his back snoring in a lawn chair, while Angelina sat by him reading and threading her hands in his hair.
"Yes, and I want Coach too-please?" Teddy said, being forced to turn around so Ginny could rub the cream on his back.
"Please," Ginny stated at once, turning to Hermione with a pouty lip and a pair of puppy eyes. Hermione hesitated, glancing around to see almost everyone else occupied. She turned around and beamed at Teddy earning an equally happy smile in return.
"Let me get sunscreen on and then I'll be ready." She told him, Teddy nodded eagerly and turned, ripping himself away from Ginny to chase Coach towards the edge of the water.
"Thank you, I'm exhausted." Ginny sighed, leaning backward. Her hand fell near Harry's, who was sprawled on his stomach fast asleep.
"Take a nap, I've got him," Hermione reassured her, digging into her beach bag for her tanning lotion. She wasn't pasty like the Weasleys, and was the only one of the lot, besides the Potters, that actually got a tan on Teddy's annual birthday bash rather than a sunburn-like everyone else.
"You are his favorite you know." Ginny yawned, leaning back until her head settled on Harry's stomach. He moved, draping an arm across her shoulders before stilling. "I think sometimes you even beat George, and Teddy once wanted to change his name to George." Ginny smiled at this, letting her eyes flutter closed.
"I don't think I could ever beat George, I don't have-" Hermione's sentence was cut off, and her hand froze on her calves where she was rubbing in lotion when she heard a loud splash, followed by insistent barking from Coach.
Coach only ever barked in greeting or when a bird got too close to the porch.
Hermione swiveled her gaze, finally spotting Coach on the end of the pier, and for a brief second she saw Teddy's pale hand before it slipped past the edge of the dock.
"Teddy!" Hermione shouted, she tore herself off the blanket, startling Ginny and Harry awake as she raced across the sand. She tore off her shirt as she ran, and was soon pounding down the dock before throwing herself into a dive off the end of it.
She broke through the surface of the water and pushed her eyes open to find Teddy sinking below her. His eyes were wide and panicking, his cheeks bulging as she struggled for a proper breath he never got and his hands were frantic in the water, trying to push himself upwards to no avail. The anchor, which was used to keep the pontoon close to the dock, was attached to a rope that was currently caught around Teddy's ankle, though he didn't seem to notice.
Hermione kicked hard and pushed her hands through the water until she looped an arm around Teddy. His arms slipped around her neck as she turned him, running her hands down his body until she could yank the rope away before kicking to get to the surface.
When she broke through the water, Teddy took a deep breath that quickly turned into hacking as he tried to rid the water from his lungs, his face quickly turning purple.
Hermione didn't see whose hand it was, but suddenly Teddy was being lifted over her head, then someone was grabbing her arms. She kicked, boosting herself up as she slid onto the wooden dock.
She turned, pushing past Ginny who was shaking, her hands fluttering over Teddy who was still struggling. Hermione turned him, lined her hand up on his back, and began patting his back between his shoulder blades. He coughed once more before stuttering and then spewing water out in front of him before taking a deep breath.
Coach let out another singular bark, as Hermione slumped to the side, now trying to control her own breathing when a hand came down on her shoulder.
"Oh my god...oh my god you saved him." Hermione welcomed Ginny's embrace, as Harry coaxed more coughs out of Teddy.
"He's okay," Hermione reassured her, patting her back and blinking the salt from her eyes.
"I didn't even...oh my god." Ginny yanked herself away, hurrying to kneel beside Teddy who leaned into his mother's embrace.
Only then did Hermione realize who had pulled her out of the water, and the only reason she knew it was George was because he was currently staring down at the water. His face an impossible shade of white. His right hand twitched uncontrollably against the wood plank he was resting it on.
Hermione heaved herself over and gently laid her hands on his causing him to jerk away before he spun towards her quickly.
"Thank you," Hermione whispered, but George shook his head pulling away completely. He stood, legs shaking before hurrying down the dock. Hermione watched him go, ignoring Sirius who was wrapping a towel around her shoulders.
Once George finally reached the sand, he broke into a light jog up into the house, disappearing through the double doors.
Hermione waited until everyone else calmed down, and Teddy exaggerated the heroic story from his point of view, clearly not phased by the experience. She left him, already back in the water, this time under the careful eye of both Harry and Fred.
Hermione slipped up into the house, ignoring Remus' gaze as she hurried away. Her skirt, which was tied at the hip had already dried but she had forgone putting her shirt back on as she gently padded across the hardwood floors towards the den where she had slept last night.
"George?" Hermione knocked, pushing the door open gently.
There, sat on the couch, George's head was in his hands and Coach's head in his lap.
Hermione smiled at Coach softly, before slowly lowering herself down next to George. At first, he jerked away from her presence, before turning and pushing into her. She wrapped her arms around him and didn't comment on his tear-stained cheeks as he pulled her into a hug.
They sat there, rocking for a moment before George let out a shaky breath and pulled himself away, cheeks pink and hands shaking.
"S-sorry, I uh-sorry." George coughed, eyes steady on her face before he tore them away to look down at Coach who raised both eyebrows at him until George scratched behind his ears.
"Are you okay?" Hermione asked, before kicking herself at her ridiculous question. It was a similar question she had hated back in her school years after her parents had died, and everyone had walked on eggshells around her until she said enough was enough. "I mean, I know you aren't but do you want to talk about it?" Hermione asked, leaning back against the armrest, and pulling her legs up to her chest. Attempting to give George the space he needed.
But his hand, which wasn't scratching Coach's ears, moved across the couch cushion before wrapping around Hermione's right ankle. He pulled until her leg straightened and her foot wound up in his lap, then he began rubbing small circles in time with his other hand performing scratches.
"No," George replied simply, not lifting his gaze from Coach.
"Ok, can I talk about it?" Hermione asked, flexing her toes slightly when his finger brushed a ticklish spot.
"If you want," George replied, lifting his gaze just enough to focus on a painting of a mountain stuck up on the wall.
"I want to." Hermione cleared her throat, folding her hands in her lap. "It wasn't Teddy's fault he fell in the water, he had been chasing a ball that rolled down the dock and wanted to beat Coach in fetching in. Teddy lost his footing, and tumbled in, he then got his foot caught around the rope." Hermione began, flexing her toes until they brushed against Coach's ear.
"I also think you were brave coming down the dock to pull me out of the water, I know that isn't-"
"I saw him fall in." George interrupted, hand tightening on her ankle, his soothing circles ceasing.
"I saw him fall too," Hermione replied, turning and nudging her toes against his stomach but George tightened his grip again, forcing her toes away.
"No, I mean I saw him running and could have prevented it, but I couldn't...I couldn't move." George finally managed out, his hand stilling on Coach's head but Coach kept his eyes shut. "I was..just frozen, I don't think that's very brave," George argued, finally tearing his eyes away to look at Hermione.
Hermione met his gaze and watched as his eyes seemed to panic for a second as if he hadn't anticipated her to meet his gaze. Before he tore them away again, he moved to get up but Coach pushed forward, refusing to let him.
"It wasn't your fault George-"
"Yes, it was."
"No, George, it wasn't." George's eyes flew back to hers, startled by her stern voice and he faltered. His hand bounced against her foot uncontrollably for a moment, before he locked his fingers around her ankle.
Hermione wondered briefly whether or not he was going to pull her leg or throw her leg off of him but he stilled, his fingers tapping against her skin before he finally took a deep breath.
"It was nobody's fault," George whispered, then squeezed his eyes closed. Hermione waited as he mouthed words she couldn't decipher before he took a calming breath, then another one for good measure. "It was nobody's fault." He whispered again, letting his eyes flutter open.
Hermione moved to scoot closer to him, to lay her hands on his shoulders and coax him into making sure he knew it was alright. But the den door opened, and George nearly flew off the couch. He stumbled, grabbing the arm of the couch, and Coach grumbled, clearly displeased by his startled awakening.
"You alright, George?" Fred asked gently, flicking his gaze to Hermione and back to George, deciding now probably wasn't the proper time to tease.
"Yeah, fine..just..breathing." George managed to say, reaching up to scratch the back of his head as he rocked back on his heels.
"Breathing," Fred repeated, stepping further into the room. Once again casting a look at Hermione, she was whispering to Coach, straightening his collar. As if she was trying to pretend she wasn't there.
"Yup." George bought the 'p', and moved to step around Fred but Fred intercepted it, and wrapped his arms around George, staying there until George reluctantly hugged him back.
"Well I'm proud of you George, and so is everyone else." Fred then pulled away, patting his back but keeping a hand on his shoulder to force him to remain in place. "Now, I suggest you get some clothes on Hermione because we are all going into town for some ice cream and while my brother here might appreciate the view, I cannot guarantee Ollivander will." Fred quirked, ducking as George moved swiftly to pinch him.
"Well then get out, so I can change." Hermione quipped, pulling herself off the couch.
"George, you going to stay and help her?" Fred teased, ruffling George's hair.
George spun, grasped Fred's elbow, and tugged him out, all while Fred laughed.
Hermione smiled at Lily kindly as she held the door open for Ollivander's Ice Cream Parlor, immediately she was flushed with the A/C system, and she felt her hands clam at the sudden change in temperature.
"If it isn't my favorite family!" Ollivander cried, bustling out of the office in the back, pulling an apron on over his head.
"Ollivander!" Teddy cried, pulling away from Harry to go press his hands against the glass. Ollivander waved off Molly who tried to tell him not to, and leaned over, asking Teddy what he wanted.
"Next." Ollivander grinned, sending Teddy towards a table with a heaping scoop of triple chocolate on a cone, shoved in a bowl.
"Orange Sherbet, please." Hermione smiled sweetly at Ollivander, who winked at her and set to work, scooping hers and handing it over promptly.
Hermione turned away, joining Teddy at his table. Teddy beamed at her, lips already lined brown when he turned to welcome the next person who sat beside Hermione. She turned as well, startled to see he had gotten Lemon Sherbet.
"I thought you liked mint?" Hermione asked, eyeing his cup.
"I do." George shrugged, nodding to Charlie who had taken the seat beside Teddy, already swiping a bite from the new seven-year-old's cup, causing Teddy to laugh and lean forward for a bite of Charlie's peanut butter swirl. "Though we could share." George continued, leaning over his shoulder colliding with hers as he forced his spoon into her orange ice cream, he dragged it to the edge of the bowl and pulled it out with a heaping scoop of orange dairy-free ice cream.
Hermione stared at him as he popped it in her mouth, only when he quirked a soft smile did Hermione lean over, knocking her knee against his, and dug her spoon into his lemon sherbet and stole an equally hefty bite of ice cream.
"Uncle Charlie says stop flirting." Hermione turned to see Teddy now wielding a spoon, crushing his cone with it as he smiled at his favorite auntie.
"Tell Uncle Charlie to take notes." George quipped, nudging his foot against Hermione's under the table.
Hermione laughed at the expression on Charlie's face, as Molly began whistling for a group photo. She turned, pressing her shoulder against George's as she leaned around him to beam at the camera. George's foot bounced against hers before his toes came to a rest on her ankle bone.
"Cheers to Auntie Mione!" Harry crowed, holding his beer bottle up in the air. Everyone else echoed the sentiment, holding up an array of beverages before everyone took a large gulp.
"Cheers to Uncle George!" Hermione responded once everyone swallowed. There was a pause, before Fred suddenly thrusts his beer bottle in the air, clinking it against Hermione's, and echoing the statement. Soon, everyone was quick to follow except for George, who scowled at his brothers before taking a long pull of his beer.
"I don't wanna go to bed," Teddy whined, slipping from his father's grasp as he tried to pull him away from the fireplace.
George, desperate for a distraction from his embarrassment, reached forward and scooped him up, plopping him in his lap.
"Tell a story, Fred," George instructed, bouncing his knee slightly as Teddy relaxed his back against his Uncle's chest. Hermione watched Teddy settle, before flicking her gaze up to George, but George's eyes were on the flames.
Fred stuttered a moment, caught off guard before clearing his throat. "Have I ever told you about the time I snuck the entire Lacrosse team into a bar in Farmington?" He asked, leaning forward to prop his elbows on his knees.
"No, you didn't." Percy accused, raising his eyebrows in surprise.
"Swear on it, right Charlie?" Fred asked, and Charlie paused a moment, seemingly weighing his options as his mother swiveled her gaze on him.
"Yes, I remember." He answered, earning a prompt narrowing of the eyes from Molly. "I was not involved! He just uh-told me about it." Charlie defended himself, sinking lower into his camping chair.
Fred scoffed as if he was actually offended by Charlie's blunt lie and cleared his throat. "We were in Farmington, we had just beat the Slytherins. The nasty team that they were, thirteen to none was the score-"
"It was fourteen to three, and two of those three were Fred's fault." George butted in, hiding his grin behind his beer bottle as he took a sip.
Arthur snorted in amusement, clearly recalling the game as Fred scowled.
"Right, so I owed the team right? Felt mad bad about it, so I talk to some of the snake cheerleaders about some hot spots around town-"
"Weren't we dating at the time?" Angelina butted in this time, sitting forward in her seat to regard Fred with an accusing raised eyebrow.
"It was merely politics dear, I love you-" Fred sighed, tossing his hands up for a brief moment before continuing. "Anyway, I got some intel and took the guys downtown." Fred grinned, clearly eager to get to the heart of the story.
"Paid some drunks off to distract the bouncers, and with a couple of ball caps and a bag of exploding snaps, I got the entire team into the bar-"
"Where's Coach Hooch during all this?" Ginny interrupted, referring to her boss that had been reigning the coaching throne at their school for what felt like generations at this point.
"Sitting all alone in her hotel room-"
"Or so we thought." George grinned again, readjusting Teddy as his head bobbed on his chest, attempting to fight away his sleep.
"George, Lee, and I are the only ones man enough to order anything, and we're two rounds down when one of their goalkeepers comes strolling in. A hefty dude, Gargoyle or something like that-anyway, clearly recognizes us and I watch him go to rat on us to the barkeep, but if he did, he'd be outing himself." Fred cleared his throat and took a swig of beer before continuing.
"So I intercept him, and offer to buy him a shot when suddenly a flash of silver hair flies by me, and George is being yanked out by his good ear." Fred doubles over in laughter at the memory, while everyone else cracks a grin. "So I whistle really loud, causing the entire bar to stop so I did the only thing I could think of-"
"And punched Goyle in the face." George delivers, grinning as Charlie doubles over to laugh, smacking his knee as Fred's face turns red.
"Massive fight breaks out right, I mean every person in there is swinging. I've got Goyle in a headlock, the barkeep is pulling on Lee's dreads and Diggory is fighting the DJ, and I'm pretty sure McLaggen got caught up in the bathroom with a couple of biker dudes." Everyone laughs as they picture the fight.
"What about you, George?" Bill asks, slipping an arm around Fleur as she dozes on his shoulder.
"Hooch threw me out the door, and let me drive the team van back so she could lay into everyone." George shrugged, causing Molly to turn slowly back towards Fred.
"You told me you got those bruises during the game." She accused, causing Fred to flush once more.
"I didn't technically lie, I'm sure some were from the game." Fred attempted to dodge Molly's pinch, but Angelina retaliated by pinching him herself, clearly under the same belief.
"That's not so bad Mum, clearly Hooch didn't think so or she would have told all the families." Percy supplied, seeing reason in Fred's logic.
"Hooch let us get away with a lot, like the time she found the girls' soccer team at that strip club in St Ives and-"
"Ginerva Weasley." Molly started, spinning to face her daughter. Lily buckled over in laughter, finally allowing herself to find humor in Weasley's spillage of childhood secrets.
"Or the time we took the boy's soccer team to that sex store." Ron pointed at Harry as he said this.
"Track team went to a poker house." Hermione offered, shrugging as Sirius' eyes went wide.
"Wrestlers went to a lounge club once," Bill recalled though it felt like ages ago, he could clearly picture Hooch's face when she had yanked him off the bar.
"Chess team went to a winery." Percy grinned, but only Remus snorted in laughter.
"Our children are liars, Molly." James laughed, standing from his camping chair. He scooped Teddy up, who was now snoring, off of George's chest and waved good night before tugging Lily up into the house.
"I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight," Molly grumbled, following Arthur out of the circle.
"I took the art club to a gay bar when I was in school." Sirius stage whispered to the group, before running after Remus through the sand towards the house, leaving the laughter behind.
Hermione knew she ought to be embarrassed that George was guiding her to bed, she had, though she wouldn't admit it, drank more than she could properly handle and was stumbling. But George's hand was warm on the center of her back, and his chest was hot every time her shoulder collided with it.
"Christ Granger, watch the toes," George grumbled, grabbing her elbow to guide her away from his toes and further down the hall.
Hermione giggled, reaching a hand to steady herself on the wall before taking a giant step forward earning a snort of amusement from George. "You said toes." Hermione giggled, hand falling on the door handle into the den, she pushed with great strength making it ricochet off the wall and George cursed as he scrambled to quiet it down.
"That's what they call those five little things sticking out of our feet, Mione." George sighed, toeing the door closed as Coach slipped in, already bounding over to flop on Hermione's designated couch.
"Circles," Hermione stated, poking George's arm before staggering over to her couch. She budged Coach up, until she could curl up at the headrest of the couch, and promptly spread eagle on the sofa cushion. Coach huffed, shoving his nose against her legs before propping his chin on her knee.
"You like circles?" George asked, grabbing the quilted blanket she liked, and spreading it out before draping it over her.
"I like your circles." She mumbled, catching his wrist before he could pull away. He was half amazed by her reflexes before her hand slipped away and he was caught off guard as that same hand moved to cup his cheek. She slid her hand up until her fingertips brushed against the scarred side of his head. "Your circles." She told him, before promptly dropping his hand and turning away.
Within seconds, she was snoring, nose pushed against the sofa cushion. George stared down at her, trying to decipher her meaning before deciding with how many beers he had, and how many seltzers she had, there was no use.
Hermione flushed, an awful shade of red as Sirius winked at her as she came stumbling out of the den into the kitchen. All the parents were up, smiling and nursing cups of coffee. Hermione was the first up, and very much regretting not dragging Coach out with her. But Coach had traded her warmth out, to snuggle with George who didn't even open his eyes to welcome the dog up onto his couch.
"Your hair-"
"I slept on a couch with a dog that weighs a hundred and seventy-five pounds," Hermione grumbled, stumbling towards the coffee pot. Arthur snorted, and flipped over a page in the newspaper. Hermione half considered flipping him off but thought better off it as Lily tracked her with her eyes.
"Would you like braids?" Molly asked, fingers already twitching to manage Hermione's wild curls.
"Yes, please." Hermione sighed, sipping her coffee as he made her way to the table to join the others. Molly slipped out of her seat, offering it to Hermione before hurrying away for a comb, and a few ponytail holders.
"Have you heard from your Aunt Bella recently Hermione?" James asked, tapping his foot against Lily's under the table when she kicked him in a warning.
Hermione groaned, dropping her head forward causing Remus to laugh as he flipped through his book. Sirius pinched his arm, but Remus didn't so much as acknowledge him.
"No," Hermione mumbled, before lifting her head as Molly's hands landed on her shoulders. "Well a letter the other week, asking for her sum of the monthly inheritance a week early but other than that, nothing really," Hermione answered, sipping her coffee gently. Keeping her eyes on a divet on the table where someone had slammed down a cup too hard.
"Can she do that?" Sirius asked, raising his eyebrows at her.
"No, she can't," James answered straight away, kicking Lily back under the table.
"It was easier than trying to fight her." Hermione let out a steady breath before continuing. "I didn't want to fight her, not with the ten years coming up." Hermione supplied, finally lifting her gaze. Arthur's eyes found her first, and he smiled at her softly.
"She shouldn't be getting any money anyway." Sirius began to argue, ignoring Remus warning hand on his back. "Scandal of a woman, she'd suck Gringott's bank dry with just a night in London," Sirius grumbled, shooting Hermione a sympathetic smile.
"She can have it for all I care at this point." Hermione slowly admitted, refusing to allow herself to look at Lily when she inhaled sharply. "I've made a nice living for myself, and I don't need it. The house is paid for and-" Hermione began, but James cut in quickly.
"She doesn't deserve it, Hermione." James was stern, and Hermione felt her chin quiver before she pushed it away.
"I know," Hermione responded quietly.
"Save it for a wedding, or your future kids or something," Lily said softly, reaching to take her arm. Molly's fingers worked quickly, moving to the other side of her head as she tied off one braid.
"Why are we making Granger cry?" Hermione jumped slightly startled, earning a curse from Molly as she knocked a few strands of hair out of her braid. She turned, to find George looking at her confused, with Coach standing obediently next to him.
"She was telling us how awful it is sleeping in the same room as you," Sirius said immediately, folding his hands on the table. Lily's hand tightened on Hermione's arm. "Says you snore like the express train." Sirius finished, smiling at the younger man smugly.
"Huh," George responded a smile quirking at his lips as he turned to the coffee pot only to find it empty. He grumbled, opening the canister to begin refilling it.
"Just think about what I said, okay?" Lily whispered to her, before getting up to help George who was repeatedly pressing the 'on' button to the coffee pot. Hermione watched them for a moment, as Lily explained the concept of patience to George as Molly finished her hair.
"There we are, mindful of a sunburn on your crown though." Molly patted the crown of her head, before disappearing down the hall with her comb.
Hermione turned back to the table, to find Sirius grinning at her and his eyes flickering to someone above her. Before Hermione could turn to see who it was, she felt a hand pull on one of her braids gently before walking away.
She turned, watching as Coach trudged out the backdoor at George's heels.