"No," he replied. "He admitted as much as we talked. I have the impression he really doesn't know what love is; other than what he feels for and from his mother." "Is he really thinking of moving towards the Light," asked Hermione. "Or, is at all an act?"
"I think he's genuine," replied Harry. "But, I'm still not going to trust him."
"A good stance to take," said Daphne.
After a couple of weeks with the Greengrasses, Hermione was practically bouncing in happiness at their move to the Granger residence - as they'd come to call it.
Harry had spent time learning the ancient sport of golf from Matthias, and the two males of the Greengrass household developed a closer bond than they had already. While Harry found he could hit the ball quite firmly, he also found that when he tried too hard he developed a wicked slice, causing the ball to arc off to the right. However, the slice came in handy when the fairway dog-legged to the right.
By the end of their stay, Harry was able to 'card' fewer than twenty shots over par. He'd never become a professional golfer, but he found that some of his worst shots would occasionally almost reduce his father -in-law to tears from laughter. And that made things actually better for Harry.
Moving to the Granger residence, this time they simply allowed Matthias, Deece and Sirius to side-along apparate them to the Granger's garage. As usual, Harry almost immediately doubled-over and groaned. "I hate side-along apparating!"
Laughing, as Hermione opened the internal door into the house, Daphne said, "You've finally got the hang of Floo and portkey travel, apparating is the last to get used to." "We're here!" Hermione practically sing-songed when she opened the door.
"Really, dear?" called her father. "You're not pulling my leg, are you?"
While Sirius chuckled Daphne, Harry, Matthias and Deece all grinned at one another; Hermione took off down the internal hallway into the sitting room.
As the others followed, they heard an excited squeal from Hermione as Ant laughed aloud. As they expected to see when they walked in, Hermione was standing in the middle of the floor wrapped in the arms of her father, while Cele was calmly sitting in an armchair watching them with amusement.
"Doesn't that ever get old?" Deece smiled to Cele. "Yes," Cele instantly replied. "That was back in about 1985, if I remember right."
Even while she was sitting down, everyone could easily see Cele was pregnant. At over six months along she was now in maternity wear, and wearing it well.
Harry walked over and gently kissed the woman on the cheek before he leaned back and said, "You're looking good, Mum Granger."
As everyone found or conjured up more seats, she gave him a dazzling smile right back in happiness. "It's better now I'm able to keep down what I eat." With a gesture to her tummy she continued, "But, this little football hooligan still manages to wake me up at night and send me to the toilet."
"Already?"
asked
Deece.
She
didn't understand that much what 'football' was, but the term hooligan even made it to the wizarding world. And the nightly trips to the toilet were the same in either world.
"He or she is a real kicker," grinned Ant.
"You still don't know the sex of the baby?" asked Deece.
"The doctor knows, but we left specific instructions not to be told," said Cele.
Deece hesitated a moment before she asked, "Do you mind if I check to see if the baby is magical or not?"
Ant and Cele looked at one another for a moment as everyone else fell silent. The Grangers stared at one another for a moment longer before Cele turned to Deece and asked, "It won't affect anything, will it?" "No," replied Deece.
Taking a deep breath, Cele said, "Do it, please."
"It would be best to know as soon as possible so we can take steps, if necessary," said Ant.
Deece walked across the room and kneeled before Cele. With her wand she lightly cast over Cele's tummy. Almost immediately there was a green glow over Cele's baby bump for a few moments.
With a firm nod she looked up and smiled at Cele. "Magical," she said.
Harry let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He wasn't the only one. He even heard Hermione sigh in relief from where he was. Ant gave her a slightly annoyed look and said, "It would not have mattered to us if he, or she, wasn't. We'd love them just the same."
Blushing a little in embarrassment, Hermione looked down and said, "I know. But, it's going to be real nice being able to help my little brother or sister learn magic."
Smiling in acceptance of Hermione's remark, Ant said, "And I've no doubt you'll do a bang up job of it, too."
"Bags buying Baby Granger his or her first broom!" piped up Harry.
"Hey! No fair!" pouted Sirius as Matthias and Ant grinned back while the ladies generally rolled their eyes. "I didn't even get a chance to think of it first." "You snooze, you lose!" grinned Harry.
"Who bought Harry's?" asked Hermione.
"His Dad," Sirius grinned back in remembrance. "He bought it the day after it was confirmed Lily was pregnant. I thought Lily was going to kill him."
"What's so special about the first broom?" asked Cele.
"It's like buying a child's first bike, Mum," answered Hermione. "Boys seem to think it's important."
"In that case," said prerogative; I'm buying bike... and first football boots... and first cricket set."
Ant.
the and
"Father's first football
"And if it's a girl?" smirked Cele. "She'll love football adamantly replied.
and
cricket,"
Ant
Hermione rolled her eyes again and mocked growled at Harry. "Now, see what you've done?" Harry was unrepentant in his grin back.
After a little while, the ladies went to the kitchen to talk as the men remained in the sitting room.
"Any news?" Ant immediately asked.
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