Opposites Attract

Opposites Attract

Hermione took a large breath and sat down on the couch. She hated the worried looks she saw on her parent's faces. It was times like this that she wished she could read minds, but alas, she'd have to wait to seventh year to even touch on stuff like that. Only one more year, she thought.

"Hermione, dear, your father and I have something to tell you," Dr. Elizabeth Granger said quietly.

"So I've gathered," Hermione said dryly.

"Okay, there's really no easy way to say this, so we'll just come out and say it!" Dr. Nick Granger laughed, but Hermione could feel the tenseness in his voice, "Hermione, you have a twin."

"I have a what!? You've got to be joking! Where does he live?"

"First of all, your twin is a girl. Second of all, she lives in Scotland right now."

"Why now? And why did you keep me if you put her up for adoption?"

"Well, her adoptive parents were both killed by that dark lord of yours...what's his name? Moldy Fart?"

"Voldemort, daddy. Were her adoptive parents magic?"

"They were. When you two were about six months old, she started growing hair than you wouldn't believe. She did all the strange things you did when you were ten. We assumed there was something wrong with her. Your Professor Dumbledore wrote us a letter telling us he knew what was wrong with our one daughter, and that he'd found a home that would suit her needs better. We met with him, and decided to give your sister up for adoption. He then proceeded to put a charm on us, and give us the false idea that we'd given your sister up for adoption because we only wanted one child. And we never told you because we didn't see that it was necessary," Elizabeth said, out of breath and choking.

"Is she coming to meet us?" Hermione asked with the strange, child-like curiosity she'd never quite grown out of.

"She's doing more than that, dear. She's coming to live with us. We can handle two girls, and we already know how to deal with a witch. I guess it was just a little scary when you were babies, not knowing just what a witch was!" Nick laughed.

"I see. When's she coming?"

Elizabeth got an uncomfortable look on her face, "That's just it. We have to go pick her up at King's Cross Station in forty-five minutes. Go get your coat."

Hermione gave her mother a surprised look, and then darted up the stairs to grab her rain coat.

Five minutes later, the Grangers were piled in the car, and leaving their small town. The trip went much too fast for Hermione's liking. She wasn't looking forward to meeting her sister. She's probably way prettier than me. I've heard that twins that don't look alike part easily, so I guess it's pushing my luck to think she's identical! And before she knew it, her dad was helping her out of the car, and closing the door.

"How are we going to recognize her, daddy?" Hermione asked, praying that her father would shrug, and they'd turn around and go home without her sister.

"We know exactly what she looks like," Nick leaned down and whispered in his daughter's ear.

"Oh Nick, look!" Elizabeth whispered loudly to her husband, pointing at a girl who bore striking resemblance to Hermione.

"Oh my, Liz, she looks just like her," Nick said, staring at his other daughter.

"Well, let's go." Liz grabbed her husband's hand and pulled him after her. She gave her daughter a large hug, and greeted her, before introducing Hermione, "Hermione, dear, this is your sister." Liz turned to Hermione's twin, "Heather, this is your sister Hermione."

"I never knew a twin could look so much like me." Heather giggled, and shook Hermione's hand.

"Don't tell me you have an ice cream cone shaped birthmark on your right hip," Hermione said laughingly.

"No, but I do have one on my left hip. You have a mole by your left year," Heather said, turning her head to reveal one by her own right ear.

"Nick, they're opposites!" Liz exclaimed.

"That's right, mum, we're opposites." Hermione laughed, and pulled Heather towards their car.

"Apparently opposites attract," Nick whispered sheepishly.

"Mr. and Mrs. Granger? Thanks so much for letting me come and live with you." All of a sudden, Heather was standing in front of her parents, and addressing them as though they were mere strangers, which they were, but it just seemed weird.

"I know this is probably difficult for you, but we'd love you to call us mum and dad, and if you can't manage that, at least Liz and Nick."

"Liz and Nick for now. Maybe someday I'll be able to call you mum and dad," Heather said apologetically.

"You're just as polite as our Hermione," Liz said, dabbing her eyes with her sleeve.

"Liz, I have to say something now," Heather said.

"Anything, honey."

"I'm not going to be able to live with you," Heather started, "if you're going to constantly be comparing me to your Hermione. I understand that we're both your daughters, but she's the one you know better, and love better, but please, I don't want to be compared to her. We might be twins, but we're extremely different, I can tell you that right now."

"You're right!" Hermione flung her arm onto Heather's shoulder, and led her off to the car.

Nick and Liz shared a glance that only came from eighteen years of marriage, reading each other's minds, and understanding that it would be a long time before they could see each of their daughters as two different and unique people.