Time turning to 1997

Talks and Toasts

"I wish I was more like you." Hermione had never had someone tell her that before. Who could possibly want to be like her? She was a know-it-all with ugly bushy hair who had had buck teeth and couldn't make any friends. Yet here her future daughter was, seemingly confessing to her that she wishes she was more like her.

"Why would you want to be like me?" Hermione stuttered out awkwardly.

"Oh come on... every story I ever hear about you is about how intelligent you were. Without you dad and uncle Harry would be dead. You were always determined and fought for good. You had two best friends you could always count on. You got to be minister of magic all while being a successful wife and mother of two. Everyone admires and respects you and you have always been comfortable being who you are... and I'm definitely not."

"I don't know who I am in the future but I can promise you I am not always comfortable being myself... I always wondered why I had to be such a know-it-all and why I couldn't make friends like all the other girls... I honestly have a hard time processing being remotely successful in the future. It feels just too perfect to be true. I mean if I get you as a daughter that seems pretty wonderful to me." Hermione finished with a smile. "And don't take what your cousin said to heart... boys, particularly teenage boys are complete and total idiots."

"It just hurts... i want to be like you so much... and I'm just not. It's a problem both me and Hu have. He wants to be like dad but is more bookish like you and i want to be like you but take more after dad."

"Is that a bad thing though? I mean as long as you don't eat as much because honestly he never stops eating."

"I love dad and well at least scorp and al love my sense of humor... it's just well... when i first went to hogwarts i would've been sorted into hufflepuff. I had to plead to be put in gryffndor. Literally, the sorting hat first said definitely hufflepuff but i said definitely not so it suggested ravenclaw and i said no then it even said it saw a bit of slytherin and i practically screamed so it finally said gryffndor... Dad was almost put in hufflepuff too. He told me but at least he didn't have to beg not to... I've just always been insecure about my lack of bravery. I'll never be able to prove it because fortunately there's no war going on in our time."

"Well you must have courage to be able to stand up to all those cousins of yours... and believe me, you're stronger than you realize. I just met you and I already know that."

"Merlin... you already sound like my mum."

"Well that makes sense doesn't it?" Hermione stated.

"How were you not put in ravenclaw?" Hermione laughed and gestured for Rose to come with her and walk back to the Burrow as they chatted all about Rose's schoolwork and her few friends.

While they were outside, James had been trying to appease his cousins with food and gossip lest they all kill him.

"Ok so dad your wedding was prank themed of course." Roxanne started.

"Mum didn't know this though."

"Yes ended very badly for you cause she got really annoyed."

"But hey she still married you"

"Which is good or else the world wouldn't have gotten my beautiful face" Roxanne smiled.

"Or my debonair smile."

"Debonair?" Lily asked. "Rox I don't think Freddie should spend time with Jamie anymore."

"Obviously not but it can't be helped can it Freddie?"

"No it cannot dear sister. It is necessary for us to become the two greatest prankers in the history of Hogwarts and how are we to do that if we don't meet and plan?"