THREE

A/N Thanks, peskipiksi, for keeping me in line! I don't own, just dabble!

Dear Ron,

Hermione

Ron Weasley, dressed in his prison uniform, held his head in his hands and cried. He was almost halfway through his two-year sentence, and other than visits from family, this was his first contact with the outside world.

"George, have you seen Hermione? Is she really OK?" Ron couldn't help but ask through his tears.

"I saw her recently. She asked me to give that letter to you as soon as I could. I didn't keep it from you."

"Thank you, George." Ron took a deep breath and looked at his brother. "I can't write back to her, but could you let her know that I am sorry for everything and if I could change it all, I would. I'm really happy that she is moving on. Maybe one day she will come home?"

George looked at Ron sadly. "I'm afraid Hermione won't ever come back to Britain, but I'll give her your message. Little brother, we love you and Mum and Dad want to have a chance to see you, so I'm off. See you when I am home next. Oh! Happy Christmas, such as it is!"

The brothers couldn't touch, but the emotion in the room was enough and George ducked quickly through the door. Moments later, Arthur and Molly came through the door and seated themselves at the table in the centre of the visiting room. Even after ten months of prison visits, it took Molly a few moments to gather herself together. As soon as she did though, she was all 'mother'. "Ron, are you getting enough to eat? Are you warm enough? Do you need anything?"

She would have gone on and on if Ron and Arthur would let her. "Molly, dear, let the boy speak. You don't give him a chance to answer one question before you are asking another."

Ron laughed a bit sadly. "Mum, Dad, I love you. Happy Christmas."

"We love you, son," Arthur said. "And Happy Christmas to you."

Molly just nodded tearfully. "What's that in your hand?"

Ron looked down at the crumpled paper clutched in his fist. "Oh, yeah. It's a letter from Hermione." Both Weasleys looked surprised. "She's forgiven me, for everything. You have no idea how that feels." Ron started sobbing again. "I helped kill her grandfather and she forgives me. Mum, Dad, I've been doing a lot of thinking. I don't know what I will do when I leave here, but I've got to make up for how I've been. I've always tagged along, been in the shadows. I've got to make my own way."

Arthur smiled at Ron with pride. "Son, just be yourself. Everything will work out. Oh, did George tell you he has reopened the shop? He has even opened several more in different countries. One is in America! And I wanted to let you know that we will be gone for Christmas this year. I am taking your mum on a well-deserved holiday. Unfortunately, that means we will miss your visitation day. I've gotten special permission for us to bring Christmas dinner and everything on Boxing Day instead. George didn't tell you that either?"

"No, he didn't! Why wouldn't he tell me? That's brilliant! And Christmas goose, here? I think I can wait until Boxing Day."

"Maybe George didn't want to say anything since you got that letter," Molly offered.

"Yeah, probably. I am really happy for him. I know he's had a hard time what with Fred being gone."

The rest of the visit went quickly, and Molly and Arthur promised to see him again the next month with Molly asking what she could bring him.

"Nothing, Mum, I'm fine, thanks."

Arthur knocked on the door to alert the guard, and as the door opened, Ron spoke up. "Dad? Have you seen Harry at all?"

Arthur shook his head and Molly sniffed a little. "No, he still refuses to see anyone regularly. As far as I know, Mad-Eye was the last one to see him. He only came for the first few months and then he was committed to St Mungo's." Arthur held out his hand towards Ron in a helpless gesture. "We can't force Harry to see us. He won't even accept letters from the children. I fear for his mind."

Ron nodded slowly. "I'm more worried about what he might do when he gets out of here. But, Dad, keep trying, maybe he'll change his mind."

On the other side of Azkaban, a dark-haired man paced a cell all the while muttering to himself.

*****

Hermione stood in her living room, directing the placement of the Christmas tree. Severus was becoming irritated with her indecision on whether it should go by the fireplace or in front of the large window. "Merlin, woman, make up your mind! It looks fine wherever you put it."

Hermione's eyes welled up at the exasperation in his voice, and immediately he pulled her into his embrace. Rolling his eyes, he wiped her cheeks and kissed her lightly on the lips. "I just want everything to be perfect," she said.

"I know you do, but the Weasleys are family. They aren't going to be disappointed if your house looks like a home."

Now the tree was finally placed and the last ornament hung. Holly, ivy, and candles decorated the mantlepiece and windowsills. This was Hermione's one connection with her former home. Even though it was warm outside, she had a traditional British Christmas. Finally, she was satisfied and headed to the office to wait for her guests. Rather than Flooing, George had decided to surprise his family with a Muggle trip. Hermione could only imagine how excited Arthur was to fly on an aeroplane the first time. She just hoped he could control himself somewhat. Luckily for George, the Christmas dinner with Ron meant that the Weasleys would Floo back home to the Burrow.

They didn't have very long to wait before the wards alerted them that George had arrived. Hermione met them at the front door, squealing like a little girl when she saw Ginny. "Ginny! Oh, Happy Christmas!" The redhead was just as girly as she grabbed Hermione and squeezed her in a bone-crushing hug. "Oh, Merlin, Hermione, I have missed you! Happy Christmas to you! Thank you so much for allowing me to finally come see you. And the children, you don't have to worry about them. Dad put a charm on them that won't allow them to say anything about this place until he lifts it."

Hermione grinned broadly. "Allow? You must be my Christmas gift, because I didn't know you were coming. And look at those babies! I think it is brilliant that you brought them!" Hermione knelt down to meet the little boy and girl standing nervously behind their mum. "Well, I'm Hermione and welcome to Argentina. Would you like to come in and see the Christmas tree?"

The two children grinned and began to talk at the same time. "I'm James, she's Lily. Why is it hot here? When will it snow? What kind of tree do you have?"

The adults laughed and Hermione ushered her guests into the house. Hermione turned to George and hugged him and then Molly and finally Arthur as they all exchanged Christmas greetings. "Let's go into the living room and sit down. There's a lot I need to tell you."

Once everyone was settled, Molly looked at Hermione. "Dear, you are looking wonderfully well. Argentina suits you."

"Thanks, Mrs... "

"Molly, dear, just Molly. You are still a part of this family no matter what. And before we get too blubbery, we all know everything that happened. Arthur told me what he could and George filled in the rest on the way here. Where is your husband?"

Like he had been summoned by the question, Severus stepped into the living room, levitating a tray. "Hermione insisted that we have mulled wine, so please, enjoy."

Just as he set the tray on the table nearest to the Christmas tree, Severus was nearly bowled over by a very emotional Molly Weasley. All at once, she was apologising and thanking him for what he had done for George and Hermione and, Severus was sure, for things that had to do with things he would rather forget. Surprisingly, he hugged Molly back and extracted himself gently. "Molly, I neither need nor want your apologies or thanks. George and Hermione saved me, not the other way around."

Molly tried to protest, but Severus would have none of it. "Would anyone like a drink?" he asked, changing the subject. As he began serving the wine, he stopped and stood listening intently. With a slight smile he looked at Hermione. "My dear, I think that you had something you needed to do upstairs before much longer? We will be fine here for a while."

Hermione jumped up from her seat and started towards the door. "Ginny, want to walk with me?"

Ginny nodded and followed her friend from the room. They made their way upstairs and Hermione grinned at the thought of the reaction she would get from this surprise. She opened the door at the end of the hall and beckoned Ginny inside. "This is MY surprise!" Hermione practically glowed. "Meet Cordelia. We named her after my grandmother."

The nursery was decorated in white and soft greens and yellows. Lying in a beautifully wrought cradle was Hermione and Severus' one month old daughter. She was a tiny thing with fine, jet black hair and intelligent eyes. She lay quietly, staring out towards the voices she heard coming into the room. Ginny stared at Hermione. "Why didn't you TELL anyone? She's beautiful!"

Hermione shrugged a bit sheepishly. "Well, I was going to, then when we started making plans for you all to come for Christmas, I decided to wait. You're not cross, are you?"

"Cross? NO! I am so happy for you!" And Ginny promptly burst into tears. "I am so sorry, I'm not normally this bad anymore, but Harry... well, it still hurts even though I was the one who left. You know, we were planning on having another baby; he wanted a son to name after Dumbledore. But Hermione, I just couldn't deal with everything that was going on. I had to get away."

Hermione embraced her friend. "We will talk about this later, just us, I promise... it's certainly overdue, but right now, what's say we go introduce Cordelia to her godfather and honorary grandparents." Hermione looked slyly at Ginny. "She already met her godmother." Another squeal and hug was the answer to that.

Cordelia was duly fed and changed and handed to her newly minted godmother. "Let's go surprise your mum." And down the stairs they went.