Opening chapters of 'Sprigs of Tansy' are pretty much my ideal.
Happy to have any combination of characters magically or mundanely plotting and taking revenge with little to no permanent consequence.
Hermione going after Draco is what the image prompts, but open to anything.
Thank you, everyone, for your patience on this next update. New chapter has eight characters, all with their own agendas, and it is the nexus for a lot of plot threads. Buckle up and make some tea, it came in over 10k.
New Achievement!!!
Crossover Fic
You combined two universes and wrote a fic about it! Hope you don’t want to separate them; that’s messier than divorcing a Kardashian without a prenup.
Reward: Our favorite pale-boy and his ex’s cat go on an adventure
(I swear I was trying to edit my next chapter but the idea wouldn’t leave me alone.)
Hermione settled into her seat, blowing on her tea to cool it as Ginny joined her in Grimmauld’s kitchen. Noting the absence of the two tiny wizards she had been looking forward to seeing, she asked, "Where are the boys?”
“Oh, we’re covered for the next couple of hours.”
“Molly isn’t up to her eyes with George’s triplets?”
“Oh, she is-”
“You are not letting Kreacher babysit the-”
“That was one time! We never-”
“Because ‘Auntie Mudblood’ is not how-”
“We fixed that! Jamie hasn’t-”
“Gin!” she interjected, “I’m joking. Who’s watching the kids?”
The red-haired witch sipped her tea and smiled.
“Wood.”
Hermione only knew one wizard with the surname, but couldn’t think of any reason why he would watch the children.
“...Oliver?”
Ginny nodded happily, seeming to bask in the silence as sunlight streamed into the room.
“He babysits?”
“For free! Well, it’s quidditch lessons. But it gives me some alone time or a chance to get a leg over.”
“Boundaries!”
“I’m sorry Auntie ‘Mione. I never told you it wasn’t the the stork that dropped off the boys-”
“I am married-”
“-I guess it’s time someone told you about the Hippogriffs and the Hinkypunks-”
Hermione groaned and buried her head in her hands.
---------------------------
She should have felt bad about the veritaserum, but between being her god-children and looking like miniature versions of Harry, Hermione couldn’t help having a protective streak a mile wide when it came to the boys. Wood’s water bottle was duplicated and dosed before he even noticed she was on the pitch.
He waved when he saw her and the boys followed him like ducklings in their blue Puddlemere training jerseys as they flew to where their gear was kept. Jumping off their brooms they gave her perfunctory hugs as their coach/babysitter addressed her, “Granger! What brings you out to the pitch? Finally come around on the sport?”
She politely handed him his water bottle, which he swigged gratefully.
“Just checking in on the boys. I was curious how training works when they’re so young.”
“Oh it’s not much, mostly just making sure they get the solid set of fundamentals that their father never got.”
“So, drills then?" she asked, hoping the suggestibility effect of the potion may have already kicked in.
“Bit more than that, but here,” he turned to the tiny wizards, his face animated, as he said, “go show your aunt the give-and-go drill we practiced.”
Bemused, Hermione watched as the two boys flew out on their brooms, barely a meter above the grass as they tossed a shrunken quaffle back-and-forth.
“They look great out there.”
“Well, they’re naturals, of course. Ginny and Harry’s kids.”
She waited a beat, hoping that it would have fully kicked in before asking.
“So you’re setting up the next generation of the Gryffindor house team?”
“Oh that’s a benefit, to be sure, but really it’s a chance to get them used to Puddlemere colours, what with all the Harpies gear at their house ”
“You’re thinking that far ahead?”
The casual air of his reply made her wonder if she had needed to dip into her emergency stash of veritaserum at all.
“Sure, I think they’ll be top recruits by the time I’m head coach. Throw in a little teenage rebellion against mum’s team and I think I have a shot at pulling the lot of them.”
It was the incongruity of the pronoun struck her.
“Lot of them? Not ‘both’?”
He took another drink and shrugged.
“Sure, I imagine this takes some pressure off the Potters. Gives them a chance to start on a few more recruits for me. Youngest house player in a century and the demon chaser of Hollyhead? And both parents are short--got a real shot at at least one seeker--unless they all get their grandad’s stature.”
He didn’t seem aware of the overshare so she pushed for a little more after his next sip.
“I guess you’re right, great chance of them being good players.”
“I really think if I can get Jamie the rest will follow, end up with a legendary squad like the ‘76 Falcons. It’s exhausting, but probably the best way to make sure that Harry and Ginny-”
Hermione didn’t need to hear the end of the thought and interjected, “You really think that is the best way to get recruits?”
She gestured for his water bottle, pretending to drink then quickly switching it for the duplicate while his eyes were on the boys. He didn’t seem to register the reaction, eyes going glassy as he rambled.”
“Should be more than enough. Those two don’t need fertility potions, they just need a chance. Ideally, I’ll get a full team, like the Weasley’s, once they can start practicing with each other and running three-on-three I’ll be able to step back a bit and just make sure Puddlemere is their favorite team, at least when mum isn’t looking.”
He got a far-away look as he watched the boys fly.
“Now, if you really want a dynasty we’ll have to see what happens with Krum and Chang’s kids. Maybe set them up…”
-------
Hermione had waited for the potion to clear his system before heading back to Grimmauld place, Wood seemingly none the wiser.
“Ginny!”
“You are not going to believe why Wood is babysitting.”
“I’ve seen the Puddlemere uniforms, even if he hides them. I’m not blind.”
“It goes so much deeper, he’s trying to get you and Harry to have more kids!”
The shock on her friend’s face quickly faded to a satisfied smile.
“Aren’t you going to go hex him? Do the whole Bat-Bogey thing?”
Ginny’s hand drifted to her stomach and she gave Hermione a sheepish look.
“Well, we were going to wait a few more weeks to tell you…”
------------------
Hermione settled into her seat, blowing on her tea to cool it as Ginny joined her in Grimmauld’s kitchen. Noting the absence of the two tiny wizards she had been looking forward to seeing, she asked, "Where are the boys?”
“Oh, we’re covered for the next couple of hours.”
“Molly isn’t up to her eyes with George’s triplets?”
“Oh, she is-”
“You are not letting Kreacher babysit the-”
“That was one time! We never-”
“Because ‘Auntie Mudblood’ is not how-”
“We fixed that! Jamie hasn’t-”
“Gin!” she interjected, “I’m joking. Who’s watching the kids?”
The red-haired witch sipped her tea and smiled.
“Wood.”
Hermione only knew one wizard with the surname, but couldn’t think of any reason why he would watch the children.
“...Oliver?”
Ginny nodded happily, seeming to bask in the silence as sunlight streamed into the room.
“He babysits?”
“For free! Well, it’s quidditch lessons. But it gives me some alone time or a chance to get a leg over.”
“Boundaries!”
“I’m sorry Auntie ‘Mione. I never told you it wasn’t the the stork that dropped off the boys-”
“I am married-”
“-I guess it’s time someone told you about the Hippogriffs and the Hinkypunks-”
Hermione groaned and buried her head in her hands.
---------------------------
She should have felt bad about the veritaserum, but between being her god-children and looking like miniature versions of Harry, Hermione couldn’t help having a protective streak a mile wide when it came to the boys. Wood’s water bottle was duplicated and dosed before he even noticed she was on the pitch.
He waved when he saw her and the boys followed him like ducklings in their blue Puddlemere training jerseys as they flew to where their gear was kept. Jumping off their brooms they gave her perfunctory hugs as their coach/babysitter addressed her, “Granger! What brings you out to the pitch? Finally come around on the sport?”
She politely handed him his water bottle, which he swigged gratefully.
“Just checking in on the boys. I was curious how training works when they’re so young.”
“Oh it’s not much, mostly just making sure they get the solid set of fundamentals that their father never got.”
“So, drills then?" she asked, hoping the suggestibility effect of the potion may have already kicked in.
“Bit more than that, but here,” he turned to the tiny wizards, his face animated, as he said, “go show your aunt the give-and-go drill we practiced.”
Bemused, Hermione watched as the two boys flew out on their brooms, barely a meter above the grass as they tossed a shrunken quaffle back-and-forth.
“They look great out there.”
“Well, they’re naturals, of course. Ginny and Harry’s kids.”
She waited a beat, hoping that it would have fully kicked in before asking.
“So you’re setting up the next generation of the Gryffindor house team?”
“Oh that’s a benefit, to be sure, but really it’s a chance to get them used to Puddlemere colours, what with all the Harpies gear at their house ”
“You’re thinking that far ahead?”
The casual air of his reply made her wonder if she had needed to dip into her emergency stash of veritaserum at all.
“Sure, I think they’ll be top recruits by the time I’m head coach. Throw in a little teenage rebellion against mum’s team and I think I have a shot at pulling the lot of them.”
It was the incongruity of the pronoun struck her.
“Lot of them? Not ‘both’?”
He took another drink and shrugged.
“Sure, I imagine this takes some pressure off the Potters. Gives them a chance to start on a few more recruits for me. Youngest house player in a century and the demon chaser of Hollyhead? And both parents are short--got a real shot at at least one seeker--unless they all get their grandad’s stature.”
He didn’t seem aware of the overshare so she pushed for a little more after his next sip.
“I guess you’re right, great chance of them being good players.”
“I really think if I can get Jamie the rest will follow, end up with a legendary squad like the ‘76 Falcons. It’s exhausting, but probably the best way to make sure that Harry and Ginny-”
Hermione didn’t need to hear the end of the thought and interjected, “You really think that is the best way to get recruits?”
She gestured for his water bottle, pretending to drink then quickly switching it for the duplicate while his eyes were on the boys. He didn’t seem to register the reaction, eyes going glassy as he rambled.”
“Should be more than enough. Those two don’t need fertility potions, they just need a chance. Ideally, I’ll get a full team, like the Weasley’s, once they can start practicing with each other and running three-on-three I’ll be able to step back a bit and just make sure Puddlemere is their favorite team, at least when mum isn’t looking.”
He got a far-away look as he watched the boys fly.
“Now, if you really want a dynasty we’ll have to see what happens with Krum and Chang’s kids. Maybe set them up…”
-------
Hermione had waited for the potion to clear his system before heading back to Grimmauld place, Wood seemingly none the wiser.
“Ginny!”
“You are not going to believe why Wood is babysitting.”
“I’ve seen the Puddlemere uniforms, even if he hides them. I’m not blind.”
“It goes so much deeper, he’s trying to get you and Harry to have more kids!”
The shock on her friend’s face quickly faded to a satisfied smile.
“Aren’t you going to go hex him? Do the whole Bat-Bogey thing?”
Ginny’s hand drifted to her stomach and she gave Hermione a sheepish look.
“Well, we were going to wait a few more weeks to tell you…”