Family Bonds

Emma was pacing up and down inside the Leaky Cauldron, Sirius had assured her they were fine and Hedwig had also delivered a note from the pair confirming the same, as well as giving her a time when they would be home. While Emma believed the evidence, the mother in her still needed to see Hermione and Harry with her own eyes before she could relax.

The pair exited the floo to find themselves tightly engulfed in Emma's arms. All those times Harry stepped off the express and watched as the other children received hugs from their parents flashed through his mind, now he had someone who love and hugged him.

"I know it seems silly but I just had to see for myself that you were ok, I couldn't wait until you came home."

Harry was revelling in the experience of a mother's love, the fact that it was Emma Granger and she loved him as 'just Harry' made it all the sweeter for him.

Emma began to notice her surroundings, "Eh Hermione, Why is everyone staring? Surely parents hug their children in the magical world?"

Hermione was struggling not to laugh, "It's not you mum, rather the person you're hugging. People stare at my husband all the time, you'll get used to it."

Emma wasn't sure how to feel about this, of course she'd heard Harry was famous in the magical world though this was her first time encountering the phenomenon. After the fourth person had approached them her mind was made up, Emma didn't like it!

She experienced more of the adulation as they entered Diagon Alley, Hermione wanted a 'quick look' in Flourish and Blotts. Emma gave her daughter a time limit of an hour, they still had to drive home.

Harry cornered Emma for a private word, "I'm going to disappear for a few minutes, I need to get something for Hermione. This will be her first birthday as Mrs Potter and I might just be able to find the perfect gift for my wife."

Hermione didn't notice he was gone. Fourteen books later she was ready to leave but couldn't fail to notice the large smile on her husband's face, it was also hard to miss the way his arms were hiding something behind his back.

"I know it's not your birthday until Wednesday but this couldn't wait." From behind his back Harry produced a pet carrying basket that contained a kitten, a kitten that from first glance was unmistakable.

"Crookshanks!"

"I didn't know if he would be there yet, the little guy ambled straight over to me. He appeared to understand I was there to buy him."

Hermione now had the carrier in her hands and was talking through the bars to a clearly delighted kitten. "Oh he's such a clever boy, even as a baby he's the smartest cat in the country. Aren't you Crookshanks? Not as clever as your daddy though."

A happy, if somewhat bemused Harry was kissed in thanks. "Eh Hermione, Daddy?"

"Well Harry you have to get some practice in before the real thing comes along."

Harry thought his face couldn't get any redder, or his smile any wider until Emma hugged them both. "That sounds great, just not for a good few years yet. I'm thirty five and don't want to be a grandmother before becoming forty!"

Hermione's eyes practically glazed over, "That would make me seventeen, I can live with that."

Harry was sure he was going to do an impression of Marge Dursley, floating right out of the shop and off into the sky. He felt lighter than he did when flying his broom earlier.

Dinner that night was fun, Dan kept making disparaging remarks about Crookshanks. His claim that he had been hoping to miss out on the bloody cat this time wasn't fooling anyone, he was just as likely to slip the ginger ball of fur some food as anyone else at the table.

Hermione was ignoring her father's comments and instead asked Sirius a question, "Did you invite the Tonks' over for dinner on Sunday?"

"Yes they're coming, it was good to see Andi again. I'd only met Ted a handful of times and their daughter has grown into a beautiful young woman, who just happens to hate her first name. She insists everyone calls her Tonks."

That brought a smile to Harry's face, "Yeah we know, Remus was also invited and definitely coming."

This puzzled the marauder for a minute, "Why did you invite...no bloody way! I'm her head of house and won't allow it."

Sirius found himself thrown from his chair and pinned to the wall by an invisible, yet very powerful force, Harry's expression as he faced his godfather was one of pure fury. "You will do nothing and say nothing, this doesn't concern you. You were dead by the time they got together and will not interfere this time either."

Harry felt a pair of arms go comfortingly around him, they were not his wife's. "Harry this is not the way. Sirius doesn't know what's going on yet you are expecting him to make decisions based only on you saying it needs to be so. You both told me that was the way Dumbledore treated you and Hermione, you have to give him the relevant information."

Harry settled into Emma's embrace, her words had knocked all the fight out of him. To Harry, being compared to Dumbledore was nearly as bad as being likened to Voldemort. One bastard had sent him into the forbidden forest to die while the other had done his best to accomplish the deed.

As her mother hugged Harry, Hermione approached Sirius. "Sirius, what would you do to save your godson's life?"

He looked directly into Harry's green eyes before answering, "Anything!"

Hermione had expected no other answer, "And if you could give him back his parents?"

Sirius was now struggling to speak as his emotions swam very near the surface, "Hermione I would gladly give my life to bring back either of them. James was like a brother to me while Lily was a wonderful witch who we all adored."

Hermione knew this was painful but the point had to be made, "Before his first birthday, Teddy Lupin had lost his mother, father, grandfather and godfather. Harry had made arrangements so he would be financially taken care of but we all know how well that worked out for my husband. Andi was a broken woman who clung to that baby like a security blanket, apart from Teddy her entire world had been destroyed."

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