A/N: I don't own Harry Potter
Word Count: 1312
"Mummy! I want biscuits!" Rose shouted. Hermione sighed and looked at the shelf where her daughter was pointing.
"Rose, sweetie, we, um, how about um, we get the biscuits next time?" Hermione suggested, mentally calculating the price of the biscuits into the groceries they actually needed.
"That's what you said last time," Rose stated. "And the time before," she added, giving Hermione a wide eyed look. Hermione blinked. She knew Rose wasn't wrong. Biscuits were something that wasn't a necessity. Since the divorce, since she'd lost everything in court, she'd had to count every knut.
"Alright, pick one out," she said after a moment. Rose squealed happily. Hermione watched her reading the labels, deciding which flavor she wanted. While Rose made her choice, Hermione put back the rice, three cans of vegetables, and switched the milk out for a half gallon. Rose deserved better than this. She deserved some happiness.
"Can I get the strawberry jammy dodgers, Mum?" Rose asked.
"Sure, Rosy, go ahead and put them in the cart," Hermione answered, giving Rose a weak smile. The little girl had bounced back from the divorce, from the whole scene at the courthouse where Ron hadn't even contested custody. Hermione shook those thoughts from her head. It didn't do to dwell on the past.
"Ready to go?" Hermione asked. Rose nodded.
"Can we go play in the park later? I want to see if I can touch the branch over the swings," Rose chattered happily as Hermione paid for their scant groceries, not realizing someone was watching both her and Rose.
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"And then the cats got into a war with the toads," Rose babbled, telling Hermione about this whole story she'd made up while swinging at the park. Hermione had taken her there after dropping the groceries off at their flat.
"Mum, why's there a grocery back tied to our door?" Rose asked, having reached the door first. Hermione paused, looking at the bag.
"I don't know," she whispered, stepping between Rose and the door. If this was some sort of trap, she wasn't going to let Rose get hurt. She knew she had enemies left. There were a few Death Eaters that had escaped justice. Then again, there was also Ron, who kept showing up again and again thinking Hermione had managed to keep something from him in the divorce. Hermione had heard from Percy that Ron had already lost the small amount he'd won.
Hermione drew her wand and waved it over the bag. When it didn't reveal anything untoward, she gingerly opened it. Her eyes widened in surprise at seeing the rice and canned vegetables she'd returned to their shelves. There was also a sack of flour, half a dozen eggs, and a fresh pineapple.
"What is it, Mummy? Did some one leave us food?" Rose asked, peering around Hermione.
"Yes, Rose, someone did," Hermione answered, opening the door and carrying the groceries inside. Rose followed at her heels.
"Who?"
"They didn't leave a note, Rose."
"I bet it was an angel," Rose stated. "I read about angels, they do nice things for people and help people who need help and they have huge wings," Rose stated. Hermione smiled.
"Maybe you're right, Rose. Maybe it was an angel," she said, as she started putting the new groceries away wondering who could have done such a thing.
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It had been nearly a week since the bag of groceries had appeared on her doorstep. Hermione still didn't know who had done it, but she'd put the whole thing out of her mind as she tended to Rose.
"Mum, my tummy hurts," Rose had started whining the night before. This morning, the child was running a fever and her stomach seemed to hurt worse.
"I know, sweetie. Come on, we're going to take you to St. Mungo's. They'll know what's wrong," she said, trying to keep the fear from her voice. What if Rose was really sick? Potions cost money, money they didn't have. At least they could see a healer for free. That thought kept Hermione going as she carried Rose, not wanting to risk apparation. They reached the muggle entrance to St. Mungo's. Hermione stepped through and immediately a healer appeared to help her with Rose.
"Appendicitis," the healer had announced. Hermione fought back tears. Even in the wizarding world, the cure was the same; removal of the appendix
"It's a completely painless and low risk operation, Miss Granger. We will simply vanish her appendix before it has a chance to rupture. Then she'll be on a course of potions to keep her fever down and destroy any remaining infection."
Hermione nodded. She understood everything, she just wasn't sure how she could afford the potions. Not wanting to admit how far she'd fallen from being the war hero, she signed her name on the line. Rose needed this to live.
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"Hermione?"
Hermione raised her head. Rose's appendix had been successfully removed and she was currently recovering. Rose was sleeping at the moment. Hermione hadn't left her side, and had been dozing in the chair next to her daughter's bed.
"Neville? What are you doing here?" she asked, staring at her former classmate.
"I heard about Rose. I wanted to make sure you and her were alright."
"She's going to be fine. Thank you for your concern though."
"What about you?" Neville asked. Hermione looked at him before giving him a weak smile.
"What about me, I'm fine."
"Hermione, you are a horrible liar. I know about the divorce."
"Oh."
"I know what Ron did to you, how he left you," Neville confessed. Hermione stared at him for a moment.
"We'll be alright. We always are," she said after a moment.
"Just like choosing biscuits over feeding yourself?" Neville asked.
"It was you. You left us the groceries? Why?"
"Hermione, you're a great Mum. You sacrificed things you needed for Rose's happiness, I couldn't just let you go hungry. Rose's potions are paid for by the way."
"I never asked you to do that, I couldn't ask you to do that," Hermione protested.
"I know, and that's why Hannah did it. Her and I are friends and she mentioned you were here. She's a healer in the pediatrics ward. That's how I heard about Rose, no she didn't tell me anything that would violate your privacy."
"Tell her thank you, Neville. And thank you for the groceries, you have no idea how much it meant to me and Rose."
"You're welcome. Hermione, if you ever want someone to talk to, someone who will listen without judging, feel free to owl me, alright?"
"I will," Hermione said, giving Neville a real smile, one of the first ones she'd had since the whole relationship with Ron had gone south.
"I'll see you around then," Neville said, walking from the room just as Rose started to wake up.
"Mummy? Who was that?"
"Someone I used to know in school, Rose. He's the one who gave us the groceries."
"Ohh, the angel. You should kiss him, he looked like he wanted to kiss you," Rose stated, looking at Hermione with wisdom in her little brown eyes. Hermione stared at Rose for a moment.
"Rose, we... we.. weren't friends like that."
"You should be. He's nice," Rose stated, nodding her head. Hermione shook hers. Out of the mouth of kids, she thought as she debated writing Neville after all. Maybe Rose had a point. Neville was nice, they had somethings in common, he wasn't bad looking... yes, she should really write him once Rose was released. Maybe she could make him dinner with the meager groceries in her cabinet? He'd probably say it was the best meal ever. She smiled, looking at Rose.
"I'll owl him later," she answered.
"Good," Rose replied, before snuggling back under the blankets and falling back asleep.