Chapter 3
Fred and Hermione stood outside of a beautiful house. She had used the address she had gotten from Gringotts to track it down. Now, as she stood with Fred beside her, she just froze. Hermione Granger, quick thinker, froze. For this house held her other family. The people that gave her up for adoption. The people that threw her away. Yet, she wasn't mad at them. She had done the math. They would have to be in high school. It was all very strange. So, holding onto Fred's hand like a life line, she tried to will her feet to move. To will her body into motion, to confront all of this. Only for the demons to rear their ugly head all over again.
"Hermione?"
"I-I don't think I can do this?" She whispered.
"We don't have too."
Just as he spoke, the front door opened, and there stood Brook. Brook locked eyes with them, before slowly making her way towards them. "Can I help you?"
'No-Yes-" Hermione cut herself off as she took a deep breath. "Are you Brook Davis?"
"I am? Can I ask who you are?" Brook folded her arms across her chest.
"Nineteen years ago, you gave a baby up for adoption." Hermione whispered, looking her biological mother in the eye as she spoke. "Hi, my name is Hermione Granger, and I'm the baby you gave up."
As she spoke, Brook's eyes widened with shock, slowly a small smile appeared on the older woman's lips. "They kept your name." She breathed.
"I guess." Hermione chuckled awkwardly.
When the silence descended, Fred swooped in. "Hi, I'm Fred Weasley, Hermione's fiancée." He held his hand out to Brook.
Brook looked on in shock for a moment before shaking his hand. "Brook Davis, but you knew that already." She rubbed her hands along her skirt nervously. "Why don't you come inside, my husband will be home soon. He's at his studio right now."
Hermione clutched onto Fred's hand tightly, as they made their way up the walkway and into the house. Just as the door opened a loud squeal of excitement could be heard. "Boys, what have we said about running around like crazy people?"
"That only Nanny Carrie can do that." The twins responded instantly.
"And who are we not like?"
"Nanny Carrie."
"Good. Now go play in your room." Brook shooed the twins away as she guided Hermione and Fred into the kitchen. "Wine?" She asked, pulling glasses down from a cabinet and grabbing a wine bottle.
"Sure, not a lot thanks."
"So, how much do you know of me?" Brook finally asked, after taking a gulp of wine.
Hermione sipped her wine, having had some with her parents before the war-she took another sip before focusing back on Brook. "From what I can gather online, as well as what's in An Unkindness of Ravens."
Brook smiled softly at the mention of the book. "That is probably more accurate of me than anything the tabloids print."
Hermione nodded in understanding. Another silence, before finally, Brook asked, "How did you two meet?" She gestured between Fred and Hermione.
Fred grinned. "We met at school, but she's best friends with my little brother."
"Oo, bagged an older man." Brook teased.
Hermione laughed and shook her head. "Ginny has said that enough to last me a life time by this point. Ginny is his little sister, she's a year younger than me."
"Oh come now, Mia, you know it's true. You love to read those kinds of books anyways." Fred wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at her.
Blushing Hermione whacked him on the shoulder. "Stop going through my books." She admonished.
He held his hands up in surrender, grinning like the trickster he is. "You love that I've read a few, it gives you someone other than Ginny to talk to."
Hermione glared at him. "I'm going to kill you."
Fred fake shuddered. "I'm terrified, Golden Girl."
She grinned up at him at the name. "Don't forget it." She leaned over and kissed his cheek.
"How long have you two been together?" Brook asked fondly.
"We got together fifth year, so that would be your sophomore year of high school." Hermione explained. "We've been engaged for about a year now."
"That's really sweet. My best friend Hayley and Nathen got married when they were sixteen. Had my godson during our high school graduation." Brook said with a smile.
"Jamie right?" Fred asked, with a tilt of his head.
"yep." Brook drained the rest of her wine, and poured another glass. "Can I ask why you decided to look for us?"
Hermione looked down at the counter, fighting the urge to rub at the scar on her arm. How should she explain this? "I just wanted to learn more about the people that created me. I had some-interesting experiences lately and wanted to know more. I always planned to find you, I just wanted to do it now rather than later."
"What about your parents? What do they think of you being here?"
"They're ok with it. We talked about it a lot before I got into a gifted school." She shrugged, draining her wine and taking Freds.
"What kind of gifted school did you go two?"
"A magical one-" Hermione trailed off.