“Mum, I need to talk to you.”

“What is it, Hermione, love?”

“I have to…there’s something that…what are you up to today?”

“Well, I plan on baking these cookies for the charity bake sale that our office is having. Your father won’t be too pleased that there is a lot of chocolate in them, being as we’re dentists and all, but one needs a little chocolate and love in their life sometimes.”

“Yes…I agree. Um… can I help you?”

“That would be wonderful. You know it’s been so long since we’ve done something like this with each other. I started to think that you would think it too silly to bake cookies with your old mum as we used to do when you were a little girl.”

“I don’t find anything I do with you and dad silly!”

“Okay…are you sure there wasn’t anything else you wanted to talk about Hermione?”

“I…I think we need to add more sugar and more chocolate chips.”


*******************

“Hermione, why are you still in doors? It’s a beautiful day outside, one of the few we‘ve had all summer. You should get out and stretch your legs. Take a walk.”

“No, I’m fine mum. I just like the comfort of this house. There are so many memories here and I don’t want to forget anything…I mean, I have a lot of studying to do.”

“In the middle of summer? Hermione, I know you’re quite ambitious in school, but I really do think you need to get out sometimes. And are you sure you’re all right? You have been acting very strange ever since you got home from school. Is this about the death of your headmaster, Dumbledore? Honey, if something is wrong, you can talk to me.”

“It’s not his death. I’m handling it as best I can, but I would like to talk with you and with dad about something important.”

“How about this. I’ll pack a lunch and we will go to the park I used to take you to when you were a little girl, the one with all the flower gardens and trees. We’ll have a picnic together, just you and me. And then we can talk. How does that sound to you?”

“That sounds excellent!”

********************

“How is your sandwich, Hermione? I made it just as you used to like it with the crusts cut off.”

“I luf et. Sorry. I should know better than to talk with my mouth full. I love it, mum.”

“And we couldn’t have asked for a prettier day, now could we? Especially after all the rain and gloom that has been hanging over the city lately.”

“Yes, it is a lovely day, but I have a feeling that we won’t have many of these days left together.”

“Now why would you say that, Hermione? What’s wrong? I know there’s something wrong.”

“I…it’s…it’s nothing. I’m just agreeing with you that the days lately have been a bit overcast. That’s all.”

“Hermione, I know that’s not all. I know you have something you want to tell me, something you have wanted to tell me and your father all summer. You can talk to me. Whatever it is, we can handle it together.”

“No, we can’t!”

“What-”

“Listen, I promise to tell you everything soon. For now, all I want to do is sit here with you and talk. Just talk, mother and daughter. We haven’t had a good talk since I was small and I know it’s partially my fault, but I want to talk now.”

“Okay, my love. So long as you promise to tell me what’s wrong, we can talk. What is it you want to talk about?”

“When you first saw dad, did you know then that you were going to marry him? That you would love him forever?”

“I knew that I liked him greatly. I grew to love him as I grew to know him. Why are you asking? Is there someone who you’re interested in? Is someone interested in you?”

“No…well…yes. I…I think I love him mum, but…”

“But what? If you love him, let him know. I know that I would have regretted it if I never let your father know, Hermione.”

“There’s complications. A world of complications. I don’t really want to talk about it. It’s kind of hard for me to understand, let alone explain.”

“Okay, what else do you want to know, Hermione?”

“What were your dreams when you were younger? Did you ever imagine you would be a dentist?”

“Well, when I was younger, I wanted to be a painter. I wanted to capture beauty with a paintbrush as I had seen in so many wonderful paintings.”

“Mum, what stopped you? Why did you give up your dream to be a painter?”

“Hermione, just because I wanted to be something, doesn’t mean that I actually had the talent or drive to do it. I learned very quickly that I had no eye of an artist, but I was incredibly good at math and science. It’s funny how things work out as they do. Now I can’t see myself as anything else but a dentist.”

“And what about dad. Did he ever want to be something else other than a dentist?”

“Well at one time, he thought he could sing and play the guitar. Luckily for everyone, he gave that fascination up quickly. We both know that it would be best if your father didn’t sing.”

“HA! Yeah, it would be best. Poor dad couldn’t carry a tune, if his life depended on it. Anyway, what about your childhood? What was it like? Did you have a pet?”

“Yes, I did have a pet. His name was Stein, short for Einstein. And yes, I had quite a lovely childhood. I grew up on a small farm that had pair of dairy cows named Daisy and Daffodil. What is with all the questions, Hermione?

“Nothing…I just wanted to know everything about you. I’m your daughter and I think I should know everything about my mum…”

“Hermione, why are you crying? I know there’s something wrong. Please just tell me what it is! I want to know. I want to help you!”

“It’s nothing. I just got-”

“It’s not nothing. I haven’t been blind Hermione. I can see how you’ve been looking at me and your father. It’s as if you’re looking at us for the last time, as if you think we will be separated forever. I’ve been patient and I’ve waited for you to tell me what is bothering you, but I can’t be patient anymore. I want to know what is going on and I want to know now. Are you planning on running away?”

“No.”

“Hermione….”

“No, mum. Not exactly.”

“Not exactly? What do you mean, not ‘exactly’?”

“I will explain everything tonight. I planned on doing it tonight anyway, but for right now, can we just, please, have a small conversation, just mother and daughter. please mum?”

“Humph! All right. We can talk a little longer, but I want to know everything tonight! You understand me, missy?”

“Yes, mum. You’ll know everything tonight.”

“All right. What else do you want to know?”


*******************

“Okay Hermione, your father and I are waiting to hear what you have to say about what’s been bothering you.”

“I think it best if you sit down on the couch.”

“Oh lord, is it that bad?”

“It’s best you just sit!”

“Okay. We’re ready Hermione.”

“I told you that my headmaster died and that a very bad wizard is on the rise. There is more that I haven’t told you because I didn’t want to worry you. My headmaster, Dumbledore, was murdered by one of his own teachers.”

“Oh, Lord. Why didn’t you tell us-”

“Please don’t interrupt me. There is a lot I have to say and I don’t know if I can say it all once I lose my nerve. Things are worse than I let you know. The man, if you can call him a man, who is terrorizing the wizarding world right now, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, was the one who orchestrated the headmaster’s murder. You see, Albus Dumbledore was the only one that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was truly afraid of and with him gone, things are going to get a lot worse. He’ll start targeting Muggle-borns and their families first.”

“Does that mean…”

“It means that your lives may be in more danger than you know…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cry, but this was harder than I thought it would be.”

“Hermione, you don’t have to bear this alone. We will be here for you and we will face this together.”

“No, mum. You don’t understand. You and dad are in more danger than anyone else because of who my friend is. You see, there is one other person who can defeat He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and it’s Harry. There is a prophecy that said that Harry has the power to defeat this evil. Because of this, all of his friends and their families will probably be the first to be targeted. There is more to this, but I want to keep this as succinct as possible. Harry is going on a quest to stop He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and Ron and I are going to join him.”

“Absolutely not! You’re only a little girl! Let the more experienced wizards do this!”

“Mum, Dad. You don’t understand. This is something only Harry can do, a task that Dumbledore left for him and him only, excepting me and Ron. The experienced wizards are trying to deal with all the chaos the Death Eaters are wreaking and will wreak. We will not be in the thick of the action, but what we are doing is vitally important.”

“I don’t care what your headmaster said, Hermione. Your father and I will not let you go!”

“Mum, you once told me when I was a little girl to be good when goodness was needed, to be merciful when you don’t feel like it and to be just when no one else will. I have to do this. I have to help Harry and if I don’t I will spend the rest of my life regretting not standing up against injustice. It shouldn’t matter if I’m a young girl or an old lady. I must do what I think is right.”

“Hermione, I just don’t think this is the right way to do this. I know I told you all those things…”

“And you wouldn’t want me not live it. Please mum, I must do this.”

“I still think there is another way. We could go on a small vacation to Spain. Wait until this blows over. I don’t want to lose my only daughter.”

“You will go on a vacation, but not to Spain. I have everything planned out.”

“You plan on coming with us?”

“No. You know I can’t.”

“Then we can’t leave either. We won’t. I don’t like this idea of what you want to do, but if you’re going to do it, we will be here.”

“No, you can’t be.”

“What? We are not leaving you!”

“Yes, you are. I’m sorry it has to come to this, but there is no other way. Know that I will always love you. Obliviate! Obliviate!”

“From now on, you’re names are Monica and Wendell Wilkins. You are on your way to Australia for a very nice and long vacation. You don’t…you don’t have any children…and…and you will start packing tonight and be on the plane to Australia by tomorrow. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“Goodbye.”

“Goodbye dear. What was your name again?”

“Hermione. Hermione Granger and I was just leaving.”