Prelude

Year 2006 Common Era

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Blonde child and Dark-haired one; two beautiful children, awful fathers, whoever they were. Whatever would she do?

Hermione Granger shivered in the bright sunlight. The warmth that sat on her skin didn't seem to penetrate the chill that lay deep within her. There seemed to be nothing wrong with either, unfortunately. The blonde baby opened her deep blue eyes and smiled at nothing in particular- she was far too young yet to be able to focus her pretty eyes. The dark child in the crook of her other arm opened her matching eyes to her sister's gentle cooing. Hermione sighed, and continued to just look at the children in her arms.

"Do you have names picked out yet, Hermione?" Ginny was standing protectively over her- she was the perfect midwife.

Hermione didn't know what to say. She hadn't had the heart to terminate the pregnancy, yet she had hoped throughout the entire pregnancy that something would go wrong and the child would die. Not a nice thought for a mother, but she hadn't exactly been a willing participant. Hermione moved her legs, winced at the sharp pain that still resided in her hips, glanced up at the eager face of Ginny.

"I really haven't thought about it, Gin. What do you think?"

Ginny's eyes lit up. "How about we try a naming charm? Most people have already picked out names for their children, so I've only tried it a couple of times. It picked out gorgeous names when I did try it, though. Shall I?" Ginny looked like a three-year-old being told that she would be getting her favourite toy. Hermione nodded wearily. She didn't have any better plan.

Ginny muttered the charm, the latinic words tumbling out of her mouth with what sounded like much-practiced pronunciation. Hermione knew that this wasn't necessarily the case- Ginny was a charm at Charms. The phrases swirled in her ears, 'Adrienne,' and the words spun out of her ear and settled over the little dark-haired girl. Then the next word spun in her ear, 'Lianna,' and circled to spread over the blonde baby's chest. Hermione smiled at the beautiful names, and told herself to remember to look up what the names meant.

Ginny looked at Hermione, and she nodded. "They're beautiful names, Gin. Where do they come from? From the children, or from the charmer, or from the magic itself?"

Ginny looked down, her face colouring a little. "They come from the charmer. Mum always asks me what I'm doing reading baby name books, and this is why. It's just such a shame when the name doesn't fit." Her eyes had lit up again now, her eyes pinned on Hermione, "Suzie, one of my colleagues, doesn't: she was asked to do the charm, and the name came out as 'Linda'. How plain!" Hermione chuckled at Ginny's righteous indignation. Ginny grinned at herself as well, and the babies began making happy noises.

"Are you right with them now, Mya? I've got to get home, or mum will be finicky again. You're right with everything?" Ginny looked so anxious for her, Hermione thought it would probably be good to reassure her, but she just couldn't find it in her to lie.

"No, I'm not sure. Would you… would you be able to stay over and tell me what I should and shouldn't do? I'm really not ready for all this. Not at all." Hermione felt tears pricking her eyes painfully, and she fought to keep them inside. She looked down at the beautiful children in her arms, wondering just how she was going to cope.

"I'd love to! I'll just Floo mum so she knows where I am, and then we'll get right to it!" Ginny looked so enthusiastic, Hermione smiled with her. Ginny jumped out of the room, bouncing back in a few moments later with quill and parchment.

It was unfair. Ginny, who was in every way the perfect mother, was single, and still living at home with her parents, even though she was three years out of school. Hermione looked at the girl whilst she was penning the letter to her mother. The girl's auburn locks were cut short in a pretty shoulder-length bob, her green eyes and eager face intent on the parchment as she scratched the words down in her rather messy handwriting. Suddenly, Ginny looked up, catching Hermione's intent gaze. Hermione blinked, realising that she had been staring.

"Mya, do you have Floo powder?"

Hermione nodded. She gave the girl directions. She returned quickly with the green crystalline powder in her hand.

"Go on, feed the darlings. I'm sure you can figure out how to do that?" Ginny winked as she moved to Floo the letter to her mother. She walked out of the room, leaving Hermione alone again with her children.

Hermione looked into the podgy, reddened faces of her daughters. It wouldn't do to punish the daughters for the sins of the fathers. She lifted up her top, baring her breasts, swollen with milk. She placed a child to each, with the blonde child closest, the dark-haired one lying beside her sister, head-to-toes. The girls closed their eyes, suckling contentedly. Ginny returned to see Hermione looking in wonder at her two daughters resting at her breast. She smiled. Hermione would do okay.

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The beginning of another story. Wherever will it go?

Dazed*kitten