Stay with Me | Hermione Granger x Female OC (Book 4)

The Truth

A tall boy with round glasses and untidy black hair stood with a red-haired girl, her green eyes being her most prominent feature. The two seemed to be sharing an intimate conversation, with similar love-struck expressions.

The boy was suddenly tackled by another boy, his green Quidditch robes swishing about gracefully.

"I don't know about you, Potter, but I'm ready to kick some Gryffindor arse today," the boy teased at his friend, wrapping his lean arm around the boy's neck, bringing him into a headlock as his other hand ruffled his hair.

"Oh, really? Don't act like I won't sweep you to the ground, Steven," he joked, doubling over in laughter as he writhed under his strong grip, punching at his ribs playfully.

"We both know Slytherin's going to take the Cup home. Besides, a wealthy donation has been made to the team. All new brooms imported directly from the head of Nimbus," Steven bragged, adjusting his robes in a sophisticated manner.

James's face dropped in shock. "No way. Are you talking about the Nimbus 1700?"

"That, exactly. Don't worry, I'll let you take it for a spin when I win. I suggest you start warming up; I don't want to hear the commentator announcing you've gotten yourself hurt," Steven chuckled as he finally released him. He started to imitate the commentator's voice: "And spiraling to the ground is Gryffindor's best, James Potter!"

James bellowed with laughter once more, his grin reaching the corners of his eyes.

"How about you? Who are you rooting for, sis?" Steven turned to the red-haired girl who simply shook her head, a smile toying at her lips.

"You both are equally amazing Quidditch players," she defended, throwing her hands up as a gesture. "But Gryffindor is my house. And James is... well, he's James."

Steven threw his head back, pretending to be disappointed at her response.

"Come on, Lily! You'd do that to your own brother?" Steven scoffed, frowning his eyebrows at his sister sarcastically.

She merely rolled her eyes in response, laughing it off as James broke out into a run. Steven immediately pursued him, with intent of another playful tackle.

"Boys," Lily said to herself.

"We heard that!" the two shouted in response, turning their heads momentarily at the red-head before returning to their roughhousing.

--

Amelia clutched her baby with one arm, gripping the handle of the suitcase beside her. Tears ran down her face as she attempted to calm the crying infant, rocking her body back and forth. Steven stood in front of the door, blocking the exit with an enraged look on his face.

"Don't you dare leave me now!" he roared, in which the infant only cried more.

"Shh... Ellie... it's okay. Mommy's here," Amelia cooed to her baby softly, her tears staining her cheeks as she ignored the man.

"You can't leave me! That's my daughter!" he snapped, banging his fist against the door behind him.

"Steven! Stop! You're scaring her!" Amelia pleaded as she tried to push past the man.

"I don't care! She's my daughter, and you can't just take her away!" Steven growled with a deranged expression.

"You did this to yourself! You decided to join them! All because James and Lily never told you they joined the Order! It's pathetic of you to betray them like that! I can't raise my daughter around a man like you!"

"They betrayed me first! James was my best friend! And Lily was my sister! They kept secrets! And after everything, they shut me out!"

The infant was now crying even louder than ever, and no amount of cooing could calm her.

"Where are you even going to go? You have nothing! You have no one! And you have nowhere to go!" he yelled once more, his hair an unruly mess, his eyes bloodshot.

"I'm leaving, Steven! I'm going to give Ellie a better future, one where you aren't in it." Her words were broken as her body shook with violent shudders. "You can't track me anywhere. It'll be impossible."

"So you're just going to give up your magic? For her?" Steven gestured to the baby. "You have so much potential! You're powerful! And you know that!"

"I will do whatever it takes to keep my daughter safe! I don't care what you have to say. I will give up anything and everything for her," Amelia defended as she clutched the infant closer to her chest. "You know what? I thought you were better than that! If you really cared for Ellie, you wouldn't have joined them. But you-"

"DON'T USE MY DAUGHTER AGAINST ME!" Steven interrupted, the tone of his voice piercing their ears.

Within a split second, Amelia let go of her suitcase and withdrew her wand, her hand trembling vigorously.

"Stupefy!" she incited, rendering the man unconscious as his body thudded against the floor.

Another flood of tears erupted from the woman as she quickly grabbed her suitcase and headed for the door, pushing his body aside.

--

Ellie stumbled backwards, clutching her wand as she processed the memories that had been revealed. She panted for air as her father slowly began to regain his senses. After realizing what happened, the man scrambled to his feet, but Ellie held her wand against his throat before he could advance any further.

"You betrayed them," Ellie started. "You betrayed every person who has every cared for you! Look what you've done. You're ruined everything! You've ruined your life!"

Steven gulped, bringing his hands up in surrender. In that moment, he saw Amelia in his daughter, noticing the way she spoke, the way she held her wand, and the way she carried herself.

"How would they feel you're related to Harry Potter? How would they feel that Harry's uncle has been here the entire time, serving right under their noses?" she continued. "You-Know-Who is using you. But you're too oblivious to see that. You don't mean anything to him-"

"-Yes, I do! I must stay faithful to the Dark Lord, as he has brought me more than you ever know. These people, these 'murderers' you call, they've given me a home, clothes, and food. They're my friends."

"I can't believe you. Imagine how your best friend felt, how your own sister must have felt. You don't care about their feelings; you only care about yourself. You're pathetic, you know that? Absolutely pathetic," Ellie insulted.

"You don't know the feeling of betrayal," he spoke, his voice trembling as the tip of Ellie's wand aligned with his Adam's apple.

"You don't know anything about me," Ellie spat as she bared her teeth at him.

"But I want to! Don't you see I'm trying to be better? Better for you?" he cried out.

"No, you don't. You're desperate. You wouldn't be saying any of this if you didn't have a wand at your throat," Ellie countered as she pressed her wand to touch his neck.

The sound of shuffling footsteps and muffled voices startled the two, brining them to turn their heads in the direction of the drawing room. Ellie lowered her wand slightly and glanced back at her father, who took this advantage to scramble out of the room, hobbling out the door as he patted his hair neatly and rearranged his clothes.

"Coward," she muttered to herself as she tucked her wand back in her pocket, dragging herself to inspect the commotion in the other room.