Open your Eyes by Prongs 69
Chapter 3
After dinner over coffee, Neville inquired to Hermione if she had been able to find a tenant for her apartment
yet.
"No, not yet. Everyone that's applied so far has been unacceptable. They're either smokers, or they too many have pets, or they don't want to live above their landlord- this has been the longest I've ever gone without having a tenant."
"You are renting out a apartment?" Dan asked quickly.
"Yes, actually it's a furnished apartment attached to my house. Why, do you know someone who might be interested?"
"Yes, actually, me. This teaching position came at me so fast I wasn't able to find a place before I started working. I've been staying at the Leaky Cauldron but I need a real place to live."
Luna piped up "Oh perfect! How's that for luck? And you could even travel together to work!"
Hermione wasn't sure about this. They worked together. Did she really want that close living proximity to someone she worked with? Not to mention that she'd be the landlord? She turned to say something to him and found his eyes staring into hers.
"Uh, yeah, sure, why not." Excuse me, who just said that? Was that me?
"Oh, maybe you want to see it first before you accept?"
"No, that's OK, I'm sure it's fine. I really just want to get out of the Leaky Cauldron. Too much noise late at night, if you get my drift."
"OK, well, if you'd like to come by tomorrow you can see it & start moving your stuff in," Hermione said.
"Oh, perfect. This is so great, thank you so much Hermione. I was planning on spending tomorrow driving around town looking for a place. This is great. Thanks." Dan was thrilled with this sudden development.
"Sure, hey, we'll both be making use out of each other- I mean, you need a place, I need a tenant."
"Oh, I couldn't have sorted this this better myself, even if the Nargels had assisted" Luna whispered to Neville.
They made arrangements for him to come over around 11 AM the next day and they all parted company.
Ben was waiting for her when she got home. "Hey Mum, did you have a good time?"
"Yes, I did. How about you? Who won the game?"
"We did, 70-65. Then aunt Gin took us to get pizza. So did you like him?"
He was going right for the kill, she thought. "He- his name is Dan- he is very nice. And he's coming over tomorrow to check out the apartment so you'll get to meet him if you're here around 11."
"Yeah, I should be here. Aunt Luna' must've loved hearing that he may move in here."
"Yes, it didn't go by her, let's just leave it at that. Night sweetie, I love you."
"Night Mum, I love you too."
Ben shut off the living room lights and made his way to his own bedroom. He had a strange feeling in his stomach-
must be the pizza he thought absently.
After all he was new to all this Muggle food…..
Or was it??? A keen sense of foreboding drew him into a restless sleep that night….
Dan arrived in front of Hermione's cottage a little past 11 AM. Nice neighborhood, he thought. Located on the edge
of Valentine Glenn, it was in a great location; her cottage was only a few houses away from the water. He stood there
for over 10 minutes as he looked around the grounds. Looks like she's a gardener, he thought. Rose and hydrangea
bushes not yet in bloom, and a multitude of tulips and daffodils dotted the landscape; bird houses and feeders were
hung in the trees. Not a house, he thought, a home.
She came out of the front door smiling. "Hi, glad you were able to find it."
"Oh, your directions were exact. No problems."
"Good. OK, well let's go up and you can take a look at the place." She opened the door again and called inside. "Ben, when you're done, come upstairs please."
An "OK" drifted outside. They made their way up the back stairs to a large deck and went inside the sliding glass doors.
"Oh, wow, this is nice. And really clean," Dan said as he admired the room.
"Well, I'm kind of a clean freak. I don't expect you to keep it perfect, but I do appreciate it being kept up. No bugs or anything creepy crawly, you know?"
"Don't worry, I'm actually a bit of a clean freak also. Oh, I can see the water from up here," he said as he caught the view from a window.
"Actually in the winter, you can see a lot more when all of the leaves are down. It's really pretty. So, what do you think?"
He turned & smiled widely at her. "It's perfect. I'll take it."
"Great! You can move your stuff in whenever you'd like," Hermione said, more enthusiastically than she had meant to.
"Well, I don't have much except a few suitcases of clothing. I'd like to spend tonight here, if you don't mind. The Leaky Cauldron was rocking last night, and I'd really love to get a normal nights sleep."
"Oh, sure, no problem. Let me get you the key & then we'll discuss money… oh, sweetie, I'm glad you came up; this is Prof. Daniel Linton. He's going to move in this afternoon."
"Hi, Prof. Linton, I'm Ben," he said as he extended his hand.
"Hi Ben, and please, it's Dan."
"OK Dan, it's nice to meet you. Glad that Mum found a tenant; it's been empty a few months. She's a little picky," her son teased.
"Why does everyone think I'm picky? Because I know what I want & don't compromise my beliefs?" Hermione placed her hands on her hips, waiting for his answer.
"Only kidding! So, Mum tells me you're an DADA Professor?"
"Yes, and she told me you were considering majoring in DADA in school," Dan answered. So, this was Ben, he thought to himself. He couldn't stop the smile that had unconsciously spread across his face.
"Yeah, I am. If I can get into a good school," Ben answered.
"You'll have no problems getting into a good school, sweetheart. They'll be lucky to have you. Ben is an advanced honour student," Hermione added in Dans's direction.
"What kind of other classes are you taking? They usually look at grades quite hard, because studying the DADA involves unending calculations. Have you had owl type tests yet?" Dan asked.
"Yeah, I'm actually taking advanced Runes& Arithmancey now."
"He's a whiz. Just not a public speaking whiz," she teased him.
"Oh, I hate public speaking too," Dan said.
"But you're a professor!" Ben said incredulously.
"Yeah, but half the time I can just tell them to go out and spar and see what defensive spells come tp mind, so it's not too bad." They all laughed at Dans's statement.
"Well it was very nice to meet you Dan, but I have to get going," Ben said. Looking at Hermione he said, "I'm going to Keelans's, Mum; they want to run through the report from beginning to end one last time. I guess they want to know if I'm going to be able to make it all the way to the end."
"You'll do fine. Be home by six for dinner. I love you."
"I love you too. Dan, I'll see you around," Ben said as he extended his hand.
"Nice to meet you Ben; I'll see you soon."
Hermione spent the afternoon puttering in the garden while Dan returned with his suitcases.
"Wow, you weren't kidding when you said you didn't have much," Hermione said as she surveyed his things.
"Yeah, like I said, I traveled a lot and it was just easier to pare my belongings down than to drag them from place to place."
"I love to travel too. Every summer Ben and I go for a few weeks to discover someplace new. Where have you gone?"
"Oh, near and far. So you like to garden, huh?" he asked, changing the subject.
"I love it. It occupies my mind and the result is so beautiful. And it's good exercise too."
"Well, your yard is beautiful. It's very peaceful here."
"That's exactly what I was going for. Oh- listen- if you'd like to join Ben and I for dinner your welcome to; I'm making Chicken Fahita's. My son loves spicy food."
"That sounds great. I was just going to grab a meal from the leaky again . I love spicy food also; the spicier the better, usually." The smile had returned to Dan's face in full force.
"Great. Come on down around six." My God, it should be illegal for someone to have a smile like that, Hermionethought.
Ben came home & immediately noticed she had set the table for three. "Mum? Are we having company?"
"Sort of. I invited Dan down. He couldn't resist when I told him I was making jerk chicken."
"Oooh, my favorite. I hope he likes hot."
"I warned him and he said he does. We'll see if he can stand up to your asbestos tongue, though. Would you heat these up for me, sweetie?" she said as she handed him a basket of rolls.
"Sure Mum." He waved his hand over the basket & steam began to rise up as the doorbell sounded.
"Oh, that must be Dan at the door- go let him in, please honey?" Hermione said over her shoulder.
"Hi Dan."
"Hi Ben. Oh man, it smells great in here," Dan said as he followed Ben into the kitchen.
"Mum is a great cook. She makes the best cajun chicken you'll ever have. I hope you like spicy."
"The more the better. Hello Hermione, it smells delicious."
"Thanks. Sit down guys, it's ready."
As she served them, Dan asked "so, your parents . What did they do? They were dentists. I really didn't learn to cook until I had Ben, necessity being the mother of invention, so to speak."
"So do your folks still run their dentistry?''
"Mum's parents died when she was 18. A rogue group of death eaters took hold after the downfall of Voldemort and struck one day…."Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude," Dan said apologetically.
"No, it's OK," she said. "It happened almost 10 years ago. My biggest regret is that Ben never got to know his grandparents. They would've loved him."
"Wow, then you were young when you lost your parents," Dan mused aloud. She's been through so much, he thought; how had she managed to stay sane?
"Yes, I was. That was a year in my life I really would rather forget. Except the part where I had Ben, of course," she said as she smiled towards her son.
"So how do you like the chicken Dan? Too spicy?" Ben inquired.
"No, actually if it wouldn't offend the cook I'd like some of that soured cream of yours."
"Oh please, go right ahead. Ben puts that stuff on everything; I'm used to it," Hermione said.
"Thanks. It really is delicious- and sure beats a a meal from the Leaky!"
"I'm glad you like it. Oh Dan- may I ask a favor of you? Ben is having trouble with the settings on his telescope- I knocked it over while cleaning- would you mind looking at it after dinner?" seeings as you said you loved astronomy too''
"Sure, no problem."
As Hermione cleaned up, he went with Ben to check out the instrument. She came in to find them discussing something on roster
"So, did I do irreparable harm?"
"No, Ben said it's just a broken lens and he used the reparo charm but we also need an adjustment screw and he thinks he has the parts at school; he said he'd bring them home tomorrow if he can find them," Ben said.
"Oh good, I'm glad. What are you guys looking at?"
They spent the next hour or so discussing the universe and the stars before Dan stood up to leave.
"Thank you for a wonderful meal. I really enjoyed it."
"Thanks for coming. And for looking at the telescope; I thought I might have to buy him a new one," Hermione replied as she walked him to the door.
"No, it shouldn't be a big deal to fix.
They found that four out of five days they could apparate in together. Hermione was happy to share the travel and with someone. She was especially happy it was he. What's the deal with me? she thought as she readied herself for bed. I need to relax.
Ben sat at his desk doing some homework. He liked this guy, he thought to himself. Maybe Mum would too. I'm going to have to talk to Aunt Luna & Aunt Ginny about this.
He wouldn't have to.