Breakfast at Natalie's

Meanwhile, Hermione had returned from a quick break and was now tending to a small girl named Kayla.

"And tomorrow we're going to do finger paints," said Kayla, completely oblivious to the giant antlers on her head.

"Do you like finger paints?" asked Hermione, adding a drop of blue liquid to the bubbling potion.

"It's my favorite," said Kayla, smiling up at her, the dimples apparent in her plump cheeks.

"Can you remember how you got the antlers on your head?"

"Oh, these?" She reached up to pat the horns. "I was looking at some of Auntie's spellbooks while she was taking a nap. I thought it would be awfully fun to turn myself into a bird so that I could fly, and Auntie left her wand on the nightstand, so I borrowed it. I don't know how I ended up with these. When can I go?"

"After you drink this, dear," said Hermione, handing her the cup.

"Do I really have to drink this?" She looked down at the potion clasped in her hands. "It smells icky."

"Well, I'm sure you don't want to go around with those antlers forever," said Hermione reasonably.

"I guess not," she said, sighing in defeat.

"It doesn't taste as bad if you hold your nose."

"Okay," said Kayla, pinching her nose with her pudgy fingers. She swallowed and grimaced. "Yuck," she said. "That was gross. Now can I go?"

""Don't you want a treat?" said Hermione, bringing out a brightly colored tin full of assorted sweets.

"A treat?"

"Yes, but only if you promise you'll never, ever take your Auntie's wand again."

"Never?"

"Never," said Hermione firmly. "Besides, I'm sure you'll be going to magic school in a couple years. You'll have your own wand then."

"Cool!" said Kayla ecstatically, reaching for the candy. "Then I promise I'll never do it again."

"Good."

"But why are there still antlers on my head?" asked Kayla, popping a piece of Drooble's Best Blowing Gum into her mouth.

"It takes a little while for them to shrink, but they'll be gone by dinner time," assured Hermione.

"Okay," said Kayla, bounding out the door. "Bye!"

"Wait!" called Hermione. Kayla skidded to a stop. "You have to wait for your parents to come."

"Aww," said Kayla, shuffling back inside.

"I haven't got any more patients at the moment, so we could play a game," offered Hermione.

"Can we play I Spy With My Little Eye?"

"Sure. You can start."

"Okay," she said, bouncing happily on the bed. "I spy with my little eye..."

After a half hour of I Spy and other games, a squat woman burst into the room.

"Oh, Kayla!" exclaimed the woman tearfully, hugging her daughter to her ample bosom.

"Mum, I'm okay," said Kayla, her voice muffled. "You're squishing me."

"Who come you've still got antlers?" she queried, releasing her daughter.

"It takes time fort them to shrink," explained Hermione.

"Oh," said the woman, just noticing Hermione's presence. She straightened the hem of her bright red coat. "Well, thank you." She led Kayla out by the hand. "You should never ever touch Auntie's things," she scolded.

"Bye!" said Kayla, waving to Hermione, who waved back.

"Kayla, are you listening to me?"

"Yes, Mummy."

There was still an hour until her shift ended, so Hermione busied herself by tidying up the room. She loved working in the children's ward in St. Mungo's. There was just something about children that appealed to her. She thought of her own children at home and vaguely wondered what she should make for dinner that night.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," said Ellen, bursting into the ward fifteen minutes late. "I was about to leave when Brian set fire to the curtains again."

"Again?" Ellen's son had a passion for fire, and no matter how well the matches were hidden, he always found a way to set something on fire.

"I know," said Ellen, sighing. "I really think I should send him to one of those Muggle doctors, those sigh-kyatricks, or whatever they're called."

"Psychiatrists," corrected Hermione. "Maybe you should."

"I mean, it's just not normal. You don't have these problems with Riley, do you?"

"No," said Hermione. "But he's only six."

"I just don't know what to do with him," said Ellen, frustrated. "Well, you can go now. Sorry for making you wait."

"It's okay," said Hermione, swinging her sensible brown leather purse over her shoulder.

On her way home, she stopped at a grocery store to pick up some ingredients for dinner. She also remembered that Joseph had wanted some more coffee. She browsed the aisle and reached for the coffee, just as someone else did too. Their hands bumped.

"Sorry," she mumbled, quickly dropping the coffee into her shopping basket.

"Hermione?"

She looked up. "Oh, Draco! I didn't realize it was you," she said, flustered. He scrutinized her, his eyes sparkling.

"I didn't know you drank coffee."

"I don't," she said, "but my husband does."

"Ah, Joseph the bastard," said Malfoy, remembering their unpleasant introduction. Hermione smiled grimly. "Forgive me, but I don't like him much."

"Not many people do," she said, laughing nervously.

"Do you?"

"He's my husband," she said, avoiding his eyes. "Well, I'd better go. The kids are waiting."

"Tell them I said 'hello.'"

"I will." She turned and headed for the checkout counter, aware that he was still watching her. She paid for her groceries and left the shop.

She entered the apartment and set the paper bags down on the kitchen table.

"Cassie? Riley?"

"In here!" called two high-pitched voices.

Hermione pushed open their bedroom door.

"Mummy!" Cassie jumped into her arms and hugged her tightly.

"Was Mrs. Wilson late today?" Agatha Wilson was an old woman who lived in the apartment across from them. She didn't have anything better to do, so she took Riley and Cassie to and from school each day. Riley had just begun the first grade, and Cassie was in preschool.

"She was a little late," said Riley, "but look, Mum, I caught a frog!" He pointed to the tightly capped jar on the desk. The small green frog blinked mournfully at them. "Don't worry, I poked holes in the lid so he could get some air."

"Can we keep him? Please, Mummy?"

"Do you know what he eats?" asked Hermione, feeling sorry for the poor creature.

"Yeah," replied Riley. "Frogs eat bugs and stuff."

"We named him Alexander," said Cassie proudly. "Oh, Mummy, please? Everyone else has pets."

"Let's wait until your father comes home."

She stood up and went into the kitchen to prepare dinner. Half an hour later, Joseph Whittaker came into the apartment.

"You're just in time," said Hermione, setting down a plate of grilled chicken and asparagus in front of him. Joseph grunted. "Kids, dinnertime!"

"Did you buy my coffee?"

"Yes," she said, putting plates in front of the children. "Did you say you wanted French vanilla?"

"I said I didn't want French vanilla," he said, spearing a piece of asparagus on his fork. "I wanted hazelnut. Don't you listen?"

"Daddy, I caught a frog today," interrupted Riley.

"And we named him Alexander," added Cassie. "Can we please keep him?"

"Please, Dad?"

"Absolutely not," said Mr. Whittaker. "I will not have filthy toads in my house."

"He's a frog, not a--"

"I said, no!" He brought his fist down on the table, causing the plates to rattle. The children shrank away.

"It's not fair," complained Riley, poking at his dinner. "Everyone else..." Hermione gave him a stern look and he stopped talking. The rest of dinner was silent, and the children slunk away noiselessly after eating.

"It's not fair," pouted Riley. They were sitting on Cassie's bed in their shared bedroom.

"Shh," said Cassie, her eyes wide with fear. "Daddy'll hear you."

"I don't care," said Riley defiantly.

"He won't let you watch TV with him," said Cassie pointedly. Riley often liked to curl up on the couch while his father drank beer and watched TV.

"Ha, did you see that, Riley?" he would say, ruffling his son's hair affectionately.

"Yeah, Dad," he would say, nodding enthusiastically even if he didn't know what his father was talking about. Riley desperately craved his father's attention, and he rarely received it.

He sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Okay, fine," he said. "But I still wish we could have a pet. D'you think Mum would let us get a fish?"

"Maybe,": said Cassie, pressing down hard with her blue crayon. "But I want an owl."

"An owl?"

"Ashley has one. They don't live in the city, so she's allowed to have an owl. She doesn't have to keep her magic a secret," said Cassie resentfully. "Why do we have to live here?"

"I dunno," said Riley, shrugging. "But boy, do I wish I could do magic."

"Mummy says that someday we'll both go to magic school."

"I can't wait," said Riley, already dreaming of Hogwarts and everything his mother had ever told him about it.

"You're lucky," said Cassie. "You're older than me. I have to wait a very, very, very long time."

"I'll tell you about everything when I get there," promised Riley.

"Swear?"

"Swear." They hooked pinkies and shook on it.