Chapter 8
Hermione closed the door and walked back into the living room. She sat down on the couch and stared blearily across to Bridge. "You know the question you asked me earlier?" At Bridget's blank face, she went on. "You know about the letter and transitioning to a whole new world?"
"Oh, yes. I am really interested. I really have known no other life than being a witch."
"Okay, well my whole life I lived it halfheartedly. I devoted my whole self to my studies at a young age. I knew that I was different than the others and in the Muggle World difference is bad." Hermione sighed. "It was like I spent my whole life up to that time waiting for my letter to come. When it did I was so happy. In knew that is was something I had to do no matter how apprehensive my parents were. I mean you have to understand that my parents where dentists. How muggle can you get? At first they were really uncertain. But over time they came to accept it. It was really weird for me at first but as time went on I realized that all of what I was experiencing and learning was everything that I was waiting for. It was really the only thing that had ever felt normal. I had always felt out of place in the Muggle World."
"Wow, I guess for my grandmother it was the other way around. I mean my mother always told me that my father's mother was always longing for the muggle world despite being a pureblood. When she finally finished school she moved out and married a muggle. Ever since my dad finished school she hasn't had anything more to do with the Wizarding World."
Hermione looked at her. "May I ask about your parents?"
Bridge glanced sharply at her. "Well, I lived my whole life with only my mother. I have met my father a few times after I graduated from Beauxbatons but I don't see him too often anymore. We write sometimes but I have never felt really close to him."
Hermione frowned. "Where you parents divorced or were they not even married in the first place?"
"They were married, the whole time. There were just some circumstances that drove them apart for so long. I talk to my mom often but right now she and my father are traveling around the world trying to `reconnect' so I don't really have a chance to see them. Needless to say I am not sure that it is working entirely. They were apart for a long time." She laughed bitterly. "So far as I know they might end up divorced or something." She stopped talking and challenged Hermione to question her more.
Hermione frowned for a bit as Bridget talked. She was being very vague and talking very cautiously so as to not let too much information come out. All of it just added to the mystery that is Bridget Potter. She really wanted to ask more questions about the ever intriguing Bridget.
Instead Hermione smiled kindly and stood up. "I should be getting to bed now. A lot has happened today and, well, I should be getting up fairly early to prepare for the day. I am planning to go and look for some jobs and maybe find a place to live. I don't want to impose for long."
Bridget smiled, though it was a bit strained. "Oh, no, don't feel that way; it isn't like that at all. Stay as long as you need. Our home is always open." Since she wasn't really looking at her, Hermione couldn't tell that Bridget's eyes showed an emotion completely to the contrary.
"Well okay, you are so kind. But I still should get some sleep. I am feeling a bit weary. It has been a long day with the train ride and well all of this. It's been really nice talking to you. I hope we can talk more tomorrow."
"Yes, of course. I will love to get to know you more in the days to come. Good night Hermione, sleep well."
"Good night." With that Hermione made her way up the stairs and through the maze of halls to her room. It was a miracle that she even found it. When she finally got into her room she settled down on her bed and was asleep in minutes.
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Harry felt restless. Bridget had gone to sleep about an hour ago and he didn't feel like going up to his room, knowing that sleep was not in the realm of possibility at this point. He had been sitting up in his study trying to work since dinner. His only disruption had been when Bridge had poked her head in to tell him she was heading to bed. He got up and made his way out of the room.
He had no idea were he was headed and he didn't pay much attention to where his legs took him. When he finally stopped he looked up and was surprised to find himself in front of Hermione's bedroom door. Instead of turning and walking away like he should have he silently pushed open the door and walked in.
He crept around to the side of her bed trying to stat concealed by the shadows. When he made sure that she was sleeping he stepped away from the wall and to the side of her bed. The moonlight shone through her window in a solid stream of light, shining brightly on Hermione's sleeping form.
Her silky brown hair was splayed out over her shoulders, making a sharp contrast to the bright white of her pillow. She had a small frown on her face and if she was trying to figure out a puzzle. Her skin was a fair creamy color and even though here eyes were closed he would see her soft, kind brown eyes. Beautiful eyes. Everyone said that eyes like his and his families were beautiful. But the truth is that they were just rare. The customary brown eyes were perfect on Hermione and he couldn't imagine her with any other color.
She really was perfect. Not just beautiful on the outside but she was even more beautiful on the inside. He sighed. He shouldn't be here. This was a bad idea. What if Hermione woke up? What if Bridge found him here? He knew he shouldn't worry about Bridge. She wasn't normally the jealous type but there was something a bit different about this situation.
Hermione moaned softly and rolled over a little bit. Harry smiled and bent down, resting his hand carefully on hers. He brought his head down and kissed her gently on her forehead. Her eyelids fluttered open for a second and he withdrew. He walked towards the door and turned to take one last look at her. He saw that her frown had changed into a smile. He turned back to the door, walked out and stood staring at the wall for a minute.
Shaking himself out of his stupor he headed back to his bedroom. He slipped silently into the dark room. He looked upon Bridget and was suddenly overfilled with gratefulness for his wife. He knew that she knew about his feelings for Hermione, I mean how could she not? She was a seer and he didn't really work that hard to make it subtle. Even though she knew everything she still put up with him. He knew that he loved her very much but it just didn't feel like enough sometimes. But from now on he vowed that he would try harder to be the husband that she deserved.
Slipping into bed he rolled over on his side and gave her a deep kiss that succeeded in waking her up.
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Harry got of bed and noted that the sun was not yet up again. He had had to get up increasingly early these days to be able to comply with the minister's rules that the head auror should be among the first there to start making sure the world is safe once again. He shook his head and stepped into the shower.
The hot water beat down onto his back. He threw his head back to look at the ceiling and his vision was immediately blurred by the water. He knew that he was very obviously trying to prove that he still and would always loved Bridge but that was just the point. It was like he was trying to prove something. Somehow he was, he was trying to show everyone that he did still love her but unlike many other people who `try to prove something' his feelings were completely real.
He let his head fall forward and he rested it on the tiled wall of the shower.
"Why is life always so confusing," he asked himself bitterly. He should be happy with everything that he was today but despite everything he had always felt like he was missing something. Why did the only person that could make his life complete have to be so inaccessible?
He got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. After thinking about all of that he had only gotten to the same conclusion as he had last night. He needed to kill those feelings he had for Hermione. But old habits die hard and it won't be easy. After he was changed he gave Bridge a kiss careful not to disturb her and headed off to the kitchen. He got a cup of coffee and headed out to the wraparound porch to watch the sunrise.
He was a bit surprised to see her out there but he remembered that it was always a habit of hers during their time at Hogwarts. In fact it had been in their seventh year when she had finally persuaded him to come with her, it had been his morning routine ever since. He walked over and stood beside her leaning his elbows on the railing.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Hermione questioned, not turning around.
"Yes it is," Harry replied in a whisper. He was looking at Hermione's profile but then he shook his head and turned his gaze back to the horizon. They sat in silence for a little while enthralled by the magnificence of the scene in front of them.
She turned to him. "Shouldn't you be going off to work?"
Harry sighed. "Yeah I guess I do. I'll see you after, when I get home."
"Of course." She smiled at his back as he walked off and then turned back to watch the sky. She didn't want to drive him off but she needed more time to think.
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Bridget rolled over in the bed to face the middle. She was disappointed when she saw that Harry was already up and out of bed. Biting her lip she pulled herself out of bed and walked over to the window. Harry had probably already headed to work. He was Head Auror in the Ministry of Magic. Luckily as Head of the Auror department he didn't actually go out on the field at all anymore. She sighed as she remembered last night. Harry must have been really guilty about something. Or maybe he wasn't, maybe he did really love her. Well of course he did but Bridget knew that if there was something stronger and deeper love sometimes was just not enough.
Bridge turned away from the window she pulled on her dressing gown and headed off downstairs. Before she got to the dining room Kate danced out of her room, with her head looking up, and ran in her Bridget.
"Whoa there honey, watch where you are going."
Kate looked down from the ceiling and was surprised to see Bridget standing there. "Oh hi mom," she said brightly. "Does Kya have to take care of me today? I am guessing that daddy can't because after taking of from work yesterday he has to catch up. And you can't either," she said looking reproachfully at her mother. "You never can. You are always working."
It was true Bridget was always working. She was employed by St. Mungo's and worked with the files. Sorting them, making sure nothing is missing. Nowadays she works at home for the sake of Kate and she goes n once a week but her being home is not helpful at all seeing as she still has no time to take care of Kate and the job always falls back on Kya or Harry if he is home. Bridget doesn't like her job too much but it helps pay the bills so she works hard at it.
"Oh sweetheart I am sorry I can't do stuff with you today. But I think I have an idea of what you can do. Come on let's get some breakfast."
Kate scampered obediently after her mother. When they got downstairs to the dining room they were surprised to see Hermione already up and dressed and talking Kya's ear off. Well it wasn't really talking, more of Hermione asking question after question and giving Kya no chance to answer them.
"So why are you employed by Harry? Like how did he find you? I am surprised that he even got a house elf I mean there must have been something that made him want to employ you, why? And what makes you so loyal to him? You get paid right? What is your average pay? Do you get vacations and stuff like that?"
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Kya opened her mouth to try to answer the questions but Kate beat her to it. "Does being able to roam the house and cause any mischief without getting in trouble count?" asked Kate. "Because that is mostly what she does all day in her free time."
Hermione turned to them. "Oh my, well I didn't see you there. How was your night? Did you both have good night's sleep?"
Bridget laughed. "I slept very well thank you. How was your night? You do seem to be up early. I have never been an early bird. I work too much to and too late to manage to get up early."
"Yeah I have always gotten up early since my childhood. It is kind of like a bit of a habit. I like to get up and sit outside with a cup of tea and watch the sunrise. It really is beautiful. You should try it sometimes I am sure that you would love it."
"Thank you Hermione. I will be sure to remember that."
Kate sat down in the chair next to Hermione. "Kya can you please go and get some breakfast. I am famished." Much to her surprise Kya scampered off without trying to argue. She had no idea that the only reason that Kya obeyed her is because Hermione nodded to Kya so that she would know to do everything that Kate asked.
Hermione turned to Kate, a bit surprised. "Famished?" she laughed. "That is a surprising word to hear coming from a five year old.
Kate smiled. "Everyday I have a word of the day. I try to use them as much as possible that day. It helps advance my vocabulary."
Hermione raised an eyebrow at Bridget. "She learned how to read at an early age and she desperately wanted to learn more because she tended to stumble across much of the harder words. Her teacher told her that that could help. I am not too sure what I think about it at this moment but she seems to enjoy it."
Hermione nodded and watched as the door opened and Kya walked in with a tray off food bigger than herself. Kya tended to forget that she could use magic to help with her duties. Over their breakfast they talked a bit about aimless things until Bridget stopped talking suddenly.
"I was thinking about who was going to take care of Kate today. Kya usually does but she tends to make more work for me instead of making it easier. Hermione I was wondering if you could watch Kate today. She can show you around and take you places. She can even take you to visit some of your old friends."
Hermione glanced at Kate who looked like she would be happy with this arrangement and grinned. "I would love to spend the day with Kate."
"Well then it is settled. Thank you so much Hermione. Now I must be getting to my work." She turned to Kate. "I am going to have to go to the hospital today so I won't be home till later. Okay? I love you." She stooped down and kissed Kate on the cheek.
"I love you too mom!"
Bridget smiled and turned to head off to her study leaving Kate and Hermione to their own devices.
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