Hero of the Story || James Potter x Hermione Granger Fanfiction

34 | be the light in the dark of this danger - part i

xxxiv.

be the light in the dark of this danger – part i

(A Safe Place to Land by Sara Bareilles)

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January 1, 1979

"Peter still hasn't come home?" Anya asked as she joined Hermione on the couch in their living room.

"I'm afraid not, Mum," the brunette said. She smiled at the worried frown which appeared on Anya's face. "He'll be all right. Peter said Moody's become much more rigorous now that the new recruits are being sent on various field missions."

Her mother sighed. "Sometimes, I wonder if I did the right thing by supporting him to become an Auror," she murmured under her breath. "With everything that is happening in the Wizarding World... well..." She left her words dangling as she worriedly glanced at the television, this time showing news about increasing attacks in the Muggle world once more.

Hermione swallowed down her trepidation and clutched her mother's hand for comfort. "Peter can take care of himself," she reassured. "Besides, this has been a childhood dream of his since forever. I'm sure he wouldn't even listen to you if you suddenly demanded he should quit being an Auror."

"That is quite true," Anya said, followed by a soft, sad laugh. "Peter used to follow my requests all the time. I wonder when he started to become mighty stubborn."

"It's the Selwyn blood, Mum," Hermione joked.

Her mother gave her a warm smile. "Definitely the Selwyn blood," she said with an over exaggerated sigh. "I might have brought two of the most stubborn children into this world."

"I listen to you all the time!" the younger witch protested.

"Please, sweetheart. All that cajoling for you to stop spending your summers studying away, always fell onto deaf ears." Hermione sheepishly smiled, prompting Anya to laugh again. "It's all right, darling. I don't want you to change at all."

Hermione warmly smiled when Anya placed a tender kiss on top of her curly hair. "Well then, I think I'm going to call it a night," her mother announced, a sad smile once again blooming on her face. "This might be the first New Year where we haven't eaten dinner together as a family. My children really are growing up so fast. Next thing I know, you will both be married with the love of your lives and you will leave your poor Mum alone."

"You know that's not going to happen," the younger witch pointed out. "If you must know, Mum, Peter and I are quite fond of you."

Anya expelled a lovely laugh and hugged her goodnight.

Once Anya had disappeared in her own room, Hermione settled comfortably on the couch and changed the channel on her television. Despite the disturbing breaking news, she thought it wouldn't hurt to at least pretend for the day that things weren't becoming more dangerous in the outside world.

She stayed for a few more hours, trying to see if Peter would finally come home. But, after finishing a cheesy, Christmas movie with her brother still nowhere to be seen, Hermione decided to call it a night.

After making sure that Anya's wards were still holding up, Hermione ventured inside her room.

As she settled some of her things on top of her desk, the brunette froze. Something was wrong. Someone was there inside her room, boring holes into the back of her head and causing the hairs on the back of her neck to stand up.