As Florian sighed in defeat and retreated to the stock room, presumably hiding, I took a step forward.
"George?" The word came out hushed and almost invisible.
But it was enough.
He whipped around and his face searched mine, looking for a hint of something familiar. He soon landed on one conclusion.
"....is this some joke. It's not funny Zabini. You need to leave before I do something we'll both regret. "
Blaise glanced at me, hoping I had the answers to what George was thinking.
"Sorry, I'm confused you think I did what exactly?"
George advanced towards Blaise.
"Brought this girl here. Someone who looks almost like Hermione. Someone who is almost her, in order to-I don't know make me upset or pass her off or something else and -"
"George will you stop it's me. " I said stepping between them.
"You're not her! I know her and I know how she looks and I know she wouldn't have left I know-" he rambled.
"George," I began again. "Listen to me. Please it's a long story and-"
"Don't lie to me! Why would anyone do this!? - what kind of person do you have to be to-"
"George!" The volume of my voice caught him off guard.
"If I can prove to you- if I can prove that I'm Hermione. Because I am. Will you listen to me?"
He stood there. His eyes sunken and sad. His shoulders slumping.
"Fine." He grunted.
"Okay. Um-" I searched my mind for something that would prove it an stumbled upon my years at school.
"When I was in school you and Fred were the only ones who could make me smile if I was angry at Harry and Ron. You let me help with you pranks when I was afraid they were too dangerous, so you let me work to make the reverse of them. You were there with me when I left studies one day because Draco had pushed a little too far past he line and you followed me into the girls bathroom even though you shouldn't have." I needed something closer, something that I no one could make up.
"Uh when I was in fourth year! In my fourth year, Fred told us both he was bisexual and therefore he could flirt with whoever the hell he wanted, so we should get of his arse about him flirting with everyone. You almost asked me to the Yule Ball because you knew we would have fun and you wanted me to be happy. You said that I deserved to be happy. You said I deserved a break , from everything, and you told Krum that if he hurt me he would have to go through the entirety of there Weasley clan."
The next memory hurt, but it was necessary, "You're the first person I told about my parents ...about what I did to them." I took a step forward.
"and it was by accident. Ron had said something about how bad his parents were and Bill said he should be grateful for your parents and I mumbled 'at least you have some.' And Fred and you dragged me out of dinner that night to explain it and Fred made me swear that I'd never do something like that to you two because you would miss me too much even if you didn't know who I was. Both of you were always like that, cheering me up in a snap.
When..."
I hesitated, was this too far? But I looked at George and I knew that it was something I definitely couldn't make up. "--- when Fred died. You told me you didn't think anything was worth it because you lost the only person who ever cared about you..." I paused for a second.
"And I told you I cared about you. That I wasn't going to leave you. Then I left because I was stupid, but I had something to take care of. But that was no excuse. That is no excuse." Tears we're selling up not threatening to spill over, like a damn ready to burst.
George looked at me in the eye and then looked at the ground.
"Where the hell when you been, 'Mione I've been so scared. I missed you. "
Suddenly I was enveloped in the smell of warm cinnamon and ginger.
"I've been. I left. I'm sorry I'm so sorry.
I had to go find my--" I paused and took an breath. "My parents. Um you should probably sit down."
He slid into the nearest booth and Blaise pulled a a chair to the edge of it.
As Florian came back I lowered my voice.
"Well um- my parents I went to find them. It took me months and I searched and searched. I went alone. I didn't want to bother anyone. No one came looking so I just went on but had to make it right. I had to find my parents and eventually I found them. Sort of.... They - um they died."
He moved to say he was sorry and I put my hand up in a stopping motion. It was a conversation that would be severely postponed by 'I'm sorry's' if time was given for then to be said. So it was best if they weren't allowed time.
"I was their only child and so I went to their house. Most of it was left intact, but there were just a few things I wanted. Things I needed to see. I was searching through their stuff and I found this old box in the bottom of a closet. I found this journal and letters. I found out I was adopted. I found out that I wasn't their biological child. Everything was so uncertain, every part of my life for the past few years has been uncertain. So I needed something concrete. So I found the address and decided to fine them. I did find them."
George looked at me, his face full f anticipation.
"They weren't who I thought they would be. After gaining proof I found that the Zabini's were my real family. I didn't want to believe it at first- but they've all grown in me. I found out Blaise was,,, is my brother. I just found out awhile ago and I know it doesn't make the best sense. I'm trying to wrap my head around it myself. "
George stared at his hands.
"I get why you didn't tell us you were leaving. I don't like it, but I know you didn't want to get in the way. I wish you would've told me though. 'Mione I missed you so much."
"I'm sorry George.-"
"Wait I have a question though. Why didn't you tell us you came back?"
The reason had been pulling at the edges of my heart and brain for a while now. But I had pushed it away. It wasn't a good thought but now, the question had been audibilized the answer crept fully to the front of my brain.
"No one tried to find me and..." I paused knowing how pitiful it would sound if it came out of my mouth. But I said it anyways. "...I didn't think anyone would want me here. Want me back. "
George furrowed his brow.
"'Mione. I wanted you to come back so bad. Everyone told me that I was overreacting and that you would come back but. I tried to find you. I sent owls to everyone who might know where you were. But it was right after the war and --there were so many people gone anyways. I came here almost everyday looking for you. I brought Ginny sometimes. But I think she was more here to make sure I didn't lose it. But Harry and Ron.... they didn't--- um., I'm sorry."
"It's fine, thanks for--you know." I said quietly.
"I know it a lot all at once but, I wanted to tell you." I said with I small smile.
"So........ yeah." George said softly.
"Yeah....." I answered.
The air seemed to be completely silent.
"You're not going to leave me for them are you?"his voice was serious.
"Never George. Not ever. "
"Good." He said with a grin.
The slight tinkle of a bell signaled the entrance of a customer and I untucked my hair from behind my ear in order to let it hide my face.
Seeing George's confused expression Blaise whispered across the table.
"We're keeping this on the down low for a while."
George could only nodded before another bell sounded and a long haired ginger girl entered and locked her eyes on George.
~•~•~•~
No POV
"George! You scared me half to death!"
She strides over and places her hands on her hips.
"What happened to meeting me in front of the Grand Sweet Emporium? Huh?"
He looked around the table at the brunette attempting to hide her face and then to Blaise who was leaning back in his chair. He attempted to figure out what to say settling eventually on,
"I got caught up."
She also looked around the table for the first time.
"Got caught up with Zabini?" She looked over at Hermione who looked away. "Who's this?"
Hermione felt a pang at her heart at her friend voice. She wanted to hug the red haired girl and tell her everything and she couldn't figure out what was stopping her.
Then she realized what was- nothing.
"This is -" George began seemingly making it up as he went along.
"Ginny it's me." Hermione spoke softly. "Hermione. "
"No it's not." The ginger girl spoke bluntly.
"It's true." George interjected in a whisper.
"Oh sure, wow. How 'bout you tell me something only she would know then? Yea?"
The brunette thought for a second and then got up and standing close to the youngest Weasley, whispered in her ear.
Ginny's eyes grew wide and as Hermione pulled away , Ginny caught her and hugged her with all of her might.
"But how and what and who is this and why is he, and huh?" She exclaimed.
Hermione pulled the girl to the back corner of the shop to the farthest booth in the darkest corner.
It was there. In the ice cream parlor booth, in hushed a hushed voice, that Hermione-Mariella explained everything.
And gained two friends back.
Though she was not so sure if she had ever lost them.
Hermione-Mariella spent a good portion of the afternoon in the back booth of the ice cream parlor, telling of what had happened to her and listening to the stories she was told.
Hidden by the shadows and hushed voices they were interrupted by time itself.
"We have to head back..."Ginny shifted sadly in her seat staring at her faded leather watch.
"Oh," the words trickled out of the brunette's mouth softly. "That's fine..."
She hadn't planned on what to say in the last moments they would be together. She had simply pushed the idea out of her mind.
There was an uncomfortable air around them as the four tried to figure out what to do.
Suddenly Ginny spoke up.
"Come home Mione." The words hung in the air like a request she couldn't fulfill.
Hermione-Mariella knew she should say something so she began slowly, "Ginny I-"
"No listen," the red head cut her off, "No one will be mad and they'll be relieved and Mum, Mum will be so happy. It'll be like the family got a child back. Mione..."
Mariella was now searching for an answer in the cracks of the table top, though nothing appeared to her.
Until-it did.
"Ginny," she began meeting the red heads eyes. "I can't come back now. There is too, too much. I need to stay were I am. But, in a few weeks- I'll come back. I'll owl you until then." She paused before continuing.
"I promise I'll come see you. Come see everyone. Just not-now. "
Ginny nodded and, after a brief exchange of hushed goodbyes, pulled George out of the booth and into the bustling alley.
•••
The day of the ball approached quickly and Hermione-Mariella found herself suddenly caught up in nerves.
The prospect of being stared at by many important people by itself was enough to make her nauseous, let alone that she would be in a room of people who may or may not have wanted to kill her at some point.
She sat contemplating the the situation she was in and staring at the grains of her hard wood floor when she heard a knock on the door.
She let out a soft "come in" and the door slipped open.
Her mother slipped in and left the door slightly ajar as she walked over and sat next to her on the bed.
For a a few moments there was only silence.
"The ball is in a few days." She spoke softly. "It's going to be a lot. People from around the world coming in. It's going to be covered by the prophet and I just..." she paused and unfolded her hands from her lap and reached one out touching mine. "I want to make sure you're going to be okay. "
I stayed silent for a moment. Then I took a deep breath. Counting the seconds as I delayed a response.
I needed to be okay with this.
It would make my parents happy.
It would make Blaise happy.
It would be a chance to adjust to this...new me.
"I'll be fine! I'm excited actually! It's going to be kinda fun, dancing and hanging out with Blaise!" I smiled and she beamed at me before patting her lap and standing up to leave.
I knew I had made the right choice.
"Mum?" I asked timidly.
She turned around still smiling.
"Am I aloud to go see some of my friends?"
I didn't know if friends was even the right word. They probably hated me for what I'd done. Leaving them high and dry. But I assume they had just moved on and that was good. I don't think I could stand it if they just say waiting on me for months.
But I needed to go see Ginny at least. She meant a lot to me.
"Sure darling, this isn't a prison. You can leave whenever you want." She grinned and chuckled at her own joke before turning and leaving the room.
It was funny but-I'd never thought of this as a prison.
In some way it had become my cocoon.
Something that I had built around myself so I could change. Come out something different.
Maybe I was ready.
Jumping up I scribbled a note onto a piece of parchment and sent it off to Ginny, before pulling on some jeans and a blue t-shirt.
I heard a tapping at the window and opened it to find Cyrillus, my owl, with a note tied to his foot.
I thanked him and opened the note while putting on my shoes.
Dear Hermione,
Oh course come over! I can't wait! You're always welcome here and see you soon!-
GW
Seeing 'Hermione' on a piece of paper was like seeing an old nickname. A string of letters , each with a phonetic sound, forming word with a symbolically assigned meaning. Something that used to mean a lot, but now seemed in the past.
I thought about what was assigned to me now. Names are meant to show who you are, to show the accumulation of someone's character.
I thought of who I was now. A long name now. Though whether or not that had an impact on me as a person for better or worse. I had become Hermione-Mariella Jean-Luciana Granger-Zabini.
I grabbed a my jacket off the chair and ran out of my room.
I made it to the front lawn without a problem and apparated quickly.
When I landed in front of The Burrow I was hit by a sense of nerves.
I didn't have a chance to act on them because as soon as I hit the ground the door opened and a red head shot out of it to hug me.
"MIONE!"
"Hi Gin," I mumbled from under where she had tackled me to the ground. "I just thought I'd come see..." I paused.
Who was I coming to see, Mr and Mrs. Weasley, yeah. But I was coming to se more than that. I was coming to see George and Charlie.
But-Was I hoping to see Ron? Harry? Now that was a question I didn't have the answer to. So I settled on a general statement, -"...everyone."
She pulled me to my feet and dragged me towards the door.
Up the front walk where I saw a garden nome stick it's head through a patch of tulips.
Pushing the door open with her free hand she pulled me through the opening, not allowing me a second to catch my breath or calm down.
I forgot that life with Ginerva Weasley left little time for nerves or breakdowns.
I was immediately greeted by the smell of baked goods and what smelled like a rhubarb pie baking somewhere.
"Ginerva Weasley- don't leave that door open, I'm not trying to let flies and god knows what else in!" There was a shout from the kitchen and Ginny dragged me through the doorway toward the voice.
"Sorry Mum." She said louder than necessary. Mrs. Weasley quickly turned on her heel, brandishing a wooden spoon like a sword.
"I won't have to galavanting off just to come thundering back in, what if something-" she stopped part of the way through her own rant.
The wooden spoon dropped to her side and she stared past Ginny's shoulder at me.
"Mum..." Ginny began, "This is going to take a lot of explaining but-"
"Hermione." Mrs Weasley said.
"You seem to be all grown up don't you."
Before I could blink Ginny had been pushed aside and I had been engulfed in one of Mrs. Weasley's famous, bone crushing hugs.
I guess I looked enough like my old self that I was recognizable. But deep down I felt that Mrs. Weasley would have known it was me no matter how I looked.
She held me at arms length and looked me over. "We have a lot to talk about but first I have to ask-who knows you're back?"
I bit the inside of my lip and considered my options- I could go vague, not really answer the question. I could tell her about the people who knew. Or I could tell her everything.
"Ginny, George,...." I paused, she felt it.
She motioned for me to sit down. "Tell me what you want to and leave out what you don't. You're a grown up now Hermione-and one of the few perks of that is keeping secrets and not feeling guilty."
Surrounded by the smell of warm baked goods and the sound of a kettle on the stove, I felt as though this was safe. I was safe.
"Blaise Zabini knows...." I began, "and that's were things get interesting."