Hermione stepped into the kitchen where everyone was gathered, lightly tapping Ron on the shoulder as she slipped past him to lean on the green marble countertop. Ron finished sipping from his glass and put it down.
"Hey, Hermione." Ron said casually. Hermione smiled and looked back to the doorway where Fayina was standing. Everyone smiled as Ron turned around to see what the subject of attention was. He beamed and nearly knocked his tall glass of water over onto the floor.
"Fayina!" He replied, his eyes brightened and he rushed over to her and hugged her tight. He lifted her off the ground a little bit, burying his face in her neck. She hugged Ron back and the two enjoyed each other's company for those few short moments, forgetting there was an audience. Ron put her down and stared at her, a few moments too long and then quickly looked away, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "When did you get here?" Ron asked.
"Oh, just last night." Hermione answered instead. Ron beamed at her some more and hugged her tighter. "So what's the plan?"
"I thought we'd have dinner and sit outside for a while. I want to try out the newest addition to my yard!" He exclaimed very happily. Hermione got a funny look on her face, rushed over to the back door, moving the curtain out of the way to look out the window. She smiled wide then looked back at Ron with a suspicious look on her face. "WHEN, did you get a pool?" She asked with an extreme amount of sarcasm, but expecting the same old reaction out of Ron.
"Oh come on! I can't have a pool now? First I can't do what I want at work, and now this!" Ron replied. Hermione rolled her eyes, confirming her fears of Ron's reaction. She sighed then opened the door to step outside.
"Do you two ever stop? I'm telling you, nothing's changed!" Fayina commented sarcastically. Everyone in the room had a hearty laugh for a few moments. The small group consisted of Lavender and Parvati, and also Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas and Ron and Fayina. This group was nearly inseparable, since their early years in school.
"Hey, Ron! Mind taking me on a tour of your nice house? Oh, and don't forget to let me in on what you do for a living to afford this!" Fayina interjected. Ron suddenly appeared to be put on the spot but nodded happily and the two set off through the house.
Hermione sat outside with her legs in the pool, listening to the cool breeze rustle through the trees in Ron's massive yard. The water in the medium-sized, in ground, rectangle pool rippled as the air gently swept through it. Hermione swayed her feet around calmly in the water, looking up at the still bright sky. The clouds twisted into each other, animating the quiet sky above. The same usual thoughts raced through Hermione's mind as she stared blankly at the bushes on the other side of the yard; thoughts of her little bookshop and if it would continue to be a success. Thoughts of Harry, her best friend, came to her mind, making her wonder where he was and if he was alright. Her thoughts were rudely interrupted with a sensation of cold drops of water splashing on her face. She quickly shot her eyes around, spotting Ron in the pool.
"Ron! You'll regret that!" She called out. Ron swam casually around the swimming pool in front of her, acting as if he hadn't done a thing. Clearly he was as guilty as could be with that grin on his face. Hermione's eyes went wide as he started getting closer. Hermione quickly pulled her legs out of the water before Ron could get them and trotted into the house, to find everyone else heading outside to join in the fun. Neville chuckled a bit at Hermione as she whipped past him. Fifteen minutes had passed in an instant and Hermione still hadn't come back out.
"She's really mad at you Ron! You really did it this time." Neville stated plainly but with much concern on Hermione's part.
"Oh she'll get over it. She usually does, but first comes the lecture!" Ron retorted jokingly. Neville rolled his eyes as he stepped into the cool water. The entire group was having the time of their lives. Then Hermione came back out, ready to take revenge. The entire group stared up at her with a strange look plastered on her face. She threw her robe onto a chair, revealing to all that she had changed into her suit and meant big business! She dove into the water and immediately the group erupted into a brawl, considering they were in a pool, this was a huge deal. Everyone was playfully attacking and trying to dunk each other.
Hermione's swimsuit was a cute two piece, light blue metallic color, with a halter-like top. Ron pulled her by the ankles and she dipped under the water for the first time since the fight started. No one had been able to do this but Ron was determined to do something. She came back up out of the water looking furious. Her hair was stuck to her face and she gently tipped her head backwards into the water to get it out of the way. She stood back up all the way, realizing she was near the deep end, where Ron was which was close to seven feet deep. Ron stood and stared at her with a victorious look on his face.
Hermione discreetly sunk into the water and headed in his direction, though he couldn't see her from all the splashing that was going on up top. Ron spun around in a circle trying to spot her. Hermione swam along the bottom of the tiled pool, creeping up underneath the diving board and just behind Ron, whom was still looking for her. A devious smile spread across her face. Many of the others spotted her but she put a finger up to her mouth to quiet them. They went back to what they were doing as to not give anything away. Neville, however, was keeping Ron quite distracted. At the right moment, Hermione quietly gripped the diving board she was still directly under.
"Hey Ron." Hermione said in a sing-song voice to get his attention. He whipped around, seeing Hermione just feet away from him. He was completely startled. She smiled and Ron tilted his head in confusion. His eyes traveled guiltily up her thin body and to her hands, which gripped the diving board. Reality struck him and he turned quickly almost getting away. Like the speed of light, Hermione lifted her small body and wrapped her legs firmly around Ron's upper body, bringing him under the water. He kicked wildly, trying to make his way back to the top. When he surfaced, Hermione felt it best that she flee the scene. The group of close friends laughed madly and cheered on Hermione as she swam away..
"Ron are you alright?" Neville asked as Hermione was climbing the ladder that would take her out of the crowded pool. She turned around and looked at Ron, worried. He was climbing out of the pool and had rolled over onto his back, coughing madly. Everyone rushed over to him, worried. Hermione stumbled over and dropped to her knees right beside him. He wasn't moving. She watched his muscular body and chest to find there was no movement in that area. She flipped her hair long wet hair out of the way and turned her ear to him, to listen for any small breaths that might escape his mouth. A few moments passed. Everyone was either biting on their fingers or had their hands together as the tension rose.
"Got you!" A teasing whisper escaped. Hermione was already on her feet, ready to blow up at Ron for his cruel joke. She just glared at him for the longest time. He was only intimidated until Seamus busted out laughing very hard. Soon, he and the others were laughing madly. Ron tried to get up but was laughing too hard. Also, Hermione shoved her foot on his chest, forcing him onto his back again. She stomped off back into the house, fuming.
Ron finally regained his self control and shot back into the house after Hermione. He was dripping wet but used a drying spell so he could go inside. He opened the door quietly, in case Hermione was so mad at him still she would just take off again. The door shut with a soft click. Ron tip-toed through the kitchen, listening carefully for any sign of what area of the house she was in. It was a dead silence. He relaxed his body and face, giving up the need to be quiet. Noisily, he stomped through the house, looking in every inch trying to find her. It was no use.
Neville came back in and gradually the others did also. Ron stood in the middle of the living room, confused.
"Where is she?" Seamus asked anxiously as he looked around the room, even adding a little comic relief as he looked under the sofa cushions. Ron turned to look at his sarcastic behavior and shrugged his shoulders.
"She must have gone home or something. I can't find her anywhere." Ron answered. The group stared at him.
"You've done it again! You two can't stop fighting for more than two seconds!" Lavender screeched. Ron rolled his eyes at her and stomped off again through the house.
The quick slam of a door down the hall from where Ron was, tipped him off. He quietly closed the closet door he had opened and stepped through the hall lightly, seeing Hermione walking in front of him out to the group. He walked up behind her grabbed her shoulders, trying to scare her. She just turned around and glared at him, a look that had Ron nearly screaming for his life. A small smile tried to escape his lips but it dwindled away the longer Hermione stared.
"Hermione I'm sorry." He said quietly. Hermione turned her body some more to deepen her glare. A scared look was upon his face and Hermione couldn't help but feel sorry for him. "Really, Hermione I'm sorry. Please say something! The silence is killing me!"
Still she said nothing. Her glare was piercing, driving him insane. A few short moments later, he dropped to his knees, pulling at her legs and pleading with a pouting face.
"Hermione bent down to look him in the face. She put an accusing finger up to him and opened her mouth to say something but was distracted by the oncoming footsteps of the group as they drew closer. She got over the fact that they wanted to eaves drop and looked at Ron.
"If you ever do that again I'll…" Hermione paused, pursing her lips together, then loosened them again. "…I'll get you back, which I just did!" Hermione spit out the last couple words very fast and burst into downright laughter. Ron's face turned red, nearly matching his hair and he stood up, furious.
"I thought you were really mad at me!"
"Oh calm down. Believe me, I was. But seeing you on your knees begging for my forgiveness was just priceless! I had to do it!" She started laughing again, including the group as they roared along with her.
"Well Hermione, well done! You actually took the nerve to get me back for once. I'm impressed! But don't scare me like that again." Ron finished and walked with the rest of the group back outside, including Hermione.
One week passed and it was Friday the twentieth of April. Hermione prepared to leave work and closed up her shop. The cloudy sky became steadily darker with each passing minute. The wind swept through her hair, bringing chills down her spine. She turned the key and walked off, deciding to take a shortcut home in order to get out of the freezing winds and get home in time to enjoy a peaceful night. Hermione walked down the dimly lit alley way, tightening her robe around her waist and twisting her hair into a bun. The sun was rapidly disappearing from the sky and the moon was peeking out from the clouds. Hermione walked briskly, nervously looking over her shoulder ever so often.
Though it was the fastest and shortest way to get back to her two-story home, it was definitely the most frightening of routes. She clung to her robe as she focused on the end of the alley, which was like finding the light at the end of the tunnel. Her heart raced, then she felt a light breeze pass on the back of her neck. Her feet stopped moving abruptly and she whipped around, looking down the path she had just walked. Nothing or no one was there. An eerie feeling suddenly came over her. Hermione slowly reached into her pocket and gripped her wand. She turned her body back around but she was still looking behind her. Her focus came to the ground beneath her as she walked. When she looked down the alley in the direction she was headed, a dark figure stood distantly in her path.
Hermione's heart raced some more and she moved to the opposite wall and kept walking, looking at her feet again. The figure was hooded and held a piece of paper in their hands. She tore her eyes away and suddenly became overwhelmed with memories. The dark figure in the alley gave her the strangest of feelings, taking her back to years before when Voldemort was still thriving in the wizarding world with his death eaters. Hermione shook her head of those memories and started walking faster. She turned around and noticed the dark figure slowly moving in her direction, looking as if they were up to something. Hermione walked faster, nearly at a run and clutched her wand tightly in her hands. The footsteps behind her quickened. Hermione felt faint but kept moving until she was nearly out of the alley.
"Granger?" A voice called from behind her. Hermione turned around reluctantly, trying to match the eerie voice with a face. The figure with a man's voice moved closer to her. "Hey Granger!" It called again as Hermione turned to walk again.
"Malfoy! What do you want?! I was on my way home!" Hermione yelled as she continued to move forward, annoyed that she was even being followed, much less by a Malfoy. He moved closer to her, being just a couple feet away. Hermione turned around once more and started walking again, being just a few yards away from exiting the alley way. Suddenly there was a hand holding hers, forcing her to turn around. Hermione looked up at him, lost and confused.