That afternoon she went out and bought five pairs of ice skates. She was waiting for her kids when they ran out the door of red brick school. The twins ran to her hand in hand and Benjy followed slower talking to a brown haired boy with black eyes boy she now knew to be Theo.
"Hey Benjy want to go ice skating?" she called. Both boys ran up to her.
"Mum?" he asked quietly looking quite confused.
"Yes?" she smiled
"Lean down." She did so and he felt her forehead." Not hot… Are you sure you're feeling okay? You hate sports and I am quoting you here mum, 'Benjy I know you want to play football but I can't stand sports! They're too sweaty and to dangerous I hate standing out in all weathers watching people chase or hit a ball!'" she laughed.
"Yes Ben I am fine and I love ice skating. It's not hot there are no balls and the weather is beautiful. So how 'bout it? I have skates for Theo too." The boys exchanged glances and smiled at her Benjy however was shaking his head.
"Sure!" he said after a moment so she led them all to the nearby pond that she and Harry had discovered all those years before. The December air had frozen it over nicely. She helped fasten four pairs of skates and laced up her own.
Benjy knew how to skate somewhat due too after school lessons at the park while she worked and Theo had apparently had more than that. She guessed because of his families' athletic background.
But instead of running off to play alone like she had suspected they would the boys helped her teach the twins. Both were surprisingly patient and Benjy explained –after being questioned directly- they had been working with the younger kids on a Christmas pageant.
When all could sufficiently stand on the ice without to much trouble they began to goof off and even Hermione joined in the fun. The only thing she directly interfered with was a game of crack-the-whip Benjy and Theo tried to start. She twirled and showed off her years of visiting this lake with her boyfriend. Her lithe body made her look like a figure skater and her hair flew out from beneath her hat.
She started to skate to the end of the lake they hadn't visited skating faster and faster the kids cheering her on.
She let all her worries and fears drift away in the speed and adrenaline. She skated so fast she didn't see the huge crack on the ice. Only Benjy saw it.
"MUM!" he cried, but he called out to late. With a sickening crash Hermione's body slipped through the ice. She screamed as she fell under into the icy water. She felt the cold to her very soul and felt the breath leave her. Instinctively she took a breath and immediately wished she hadn't her lungs been filled with water and all attempts to puller self out failed. She knew she would die. She had heard one of the kids run for help but she knew it was too late.
The one last thing she did before losing consciousness was grab at her bracelet that she still wore though she wasn't sure why and wish hopelessly for her husband. The last thing she remembered before her world became completely black was something lifting her up and wondering if she was going to heaven
When she regained something that could barely be called consciousness she was aware of being held in strong arms and being cold. Even though she seemed to be freezing, she felt safe.
"Sleep Hermi it'll be okay." A voice said. It didn't register but the words did and she relapsed into sleep.
When she next awoke she awoke slowly. The first thing that recovered was her hearing she heard voices above her but at first she didn't know who they were.
"Nearly lost her-"
"If you hadn't gotten there-"
"Will she be okay?"
"She'll be fine Ben." Ben… Ben….
"Benjy?"
"She's awake!"
"She spoke."
"It's me Mummy." She opened her eyes slowly and was then awake she was in a bed and not just any bed but her bed. Above her she saw Ron, Benjy. The elder Potters and,
"Harry?" she whispered her throat sore. He smoothed her hair.
"It's me darling.' She opened her mouth but he put a finger to it. He looked at all the others in the room and they filed out though Hermione didn't notice.
"Shush. I just want to say I'm sorry. Amazingly sorry. I should've never in a million years doubted you. I always loved you too. I just thought I guess that out in the real world a person couldn't live alone without longing for some companionship and I was scared. I just didn't take into account my knowledge that you would never cheat on me."
"I did long for something though. I longed for you." He smiled at her.
"I know darling. The bracelet, remember it told me when you wanted me. I just I don't know I was foolish I guess. And there's something you don't know that once you do will make you think I am a complete fool and you will hate me for it," he took a deep breath. "the bracelet is supposed to tell me when you are unfaithful.
"Once you told me what happened I thought that it was faulty I guess because it didn't go off then but now I realize that you weren't being unfaithful because you weren't in your right mind at all. So I know you love me." He sat down on the bed next to her and kissed her she kissed him back and before long they were with each other and it was the most glorious feeling Hermione had ever had.
"I love you Hermi." He whispered in her arms.
"Oh I love you too" she croaked.
She was ill for the next week or so with a cold and aching mulses not to ignore a sprained ankle but none of it seemed to matter. Her family was back together.
One afternoon they were all sitting in front of the fire Hermione wrapped up in blankets and Harry told her his plan.
"I know Neville doesn't trust me. He was one of the Aurours accompanying me on the voyage and I think I know how to win him back onto our side. Not to sound like a politician but it is the truth. About a year ago in Voldemort's library I found an interesting spell book. Inside was a description of an odd and old spell designed to bring people back from insanity.
"After studing it for awhile I relized I might be able to do it. I asked Neville about it today and after glaring at me for a full minute ( breaking a record Malfoy had held) he conceded that he'd tried everything else. I am going to try it on his parents tomorrow."
"Oh Harry that's so considerate of you baby. You might want to get some sleep."
"You can make it to bed okay? Ankle and all?"
"Yeah just put the twins down would ya? Rosie likes it when you read to her and I need to talk to Ben." At the sound of his name Benjy looked up and she nodded at him. While his father lassoed his siblings he crawled up on to the couch next to his mother. She put a loving arm around him and he snuggled up next to her.
"How are you holding up champ?"
"I'm good how are you?"
"I'm great. Are you glad Dad's home?"
"Yes. Are you? You're not mad anymore?"
"No I'm not. And you know what I'm proud of you.
"Why?"
"Because you kept your head in a crisis. Your dad told me how you handled your brother and sister. You and Theo did a great job I'm told." He blushed
"Yeah. It's thanks to Mel that we know how to take care of kids."
"Mel?"
"Yup. She's a girl at school. She told us that we can't talk to the kids like they're babies even if they are. We hafta talk to them like they're as old as us."
"She's right. Do you like her?"
"Yeah for a girl she's okay."
"Gee thanks."
"You're not a girl you're my mum!"
"Oh okay. No more fights?"
"Nope I promise."
"Okay. Hey Benjy?"
"Hmm?" he was getting sleepy now she could tell."
"I like having these talks."
"Me too. Hey mum?"
"Yeah?"
"Can we do this even after I go to Hogwarts?"
"Of course sweetie."
A/N well that's it for now I'm not sure how I'm going to continue