Chapter Two
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"Don't have any tea left, is coffee all right?" Ron asked.
Hermione nodded in agreement. She was sitting in the living room of Ginny and Ron's apartment. They had shared it for almost eighteen months and it was working surprisingly well. Ron had pursued his Quidditch dreams and was now playing for a fairly well-known team, though not to Hermione. Ginny had joined Luna and her father at The Quibbler; she reported for the sports section.
Hermione had stayed at Flourish and Blotts for only a year. She was now in the middle of Auror training.
"So when are you leaving for the game in Ireland?" Hermione asked Ron.
"We'll leave tomorrow morning. Wanna come?" he asked hopefully.
She smiled at him and took a sip of tea. "Wish I could, but you know I can't leave training." Ginny rolled her eyes. The crush her brother had on Hermione hadn't ended despite Hermione's obvious rejections.
"You have a date tonight don't you?" Ginny asked and looked sideways at her brother, he frowned.
"Yes, I do," Hermione admitted.
"With that guy in your training group, isn't it?" Ginny continued.
"Right, Jonathan Smith."
"Is he as much of a git as his younger brother Zacharias?" Ron mumbled, but Hermione ignored the comment. The living room was comfortable and Hermione could always relax when she visited Ron and Ginny's.
"So how's work?" Hermione asked Ginny, trying to change the subject.
"Oh you know, same as always. Have to convince Luna and her father to run my stories without any paranoia stories included in them."
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A few hours later Hermione was home reading a book, Jonathan had just dropped her off. The date had been exactly as their others they had been: they sat and talked about training and daily things, but nothing of any meaning. Hermione was always surprised when Jonathan asked her out again. But for the lack of anything else to do she still agreed
.
She sighed loudly and got off of her sofa to get a snack., after the evening she had had she thought she deserved some cookies.
She had a very small flat in central London. Living room and kitchen in one room, and a tiny bedroom that barely contained her bed, a desk and a bookcase. Next to the bathroom was a small closet, and that was pretty much it. She also had a very loud and rude neighbour.
She was very happy with her decision to become an Auror - if she could pass the training. Working for Flourish and Blotts had been fun, she had loved being around the books, she had really liked the rest of the staff and, best of all, it involved no danger at all.
But she soon realized that working there was not what she wanted out of life, she wanted to keep doing well. She hadn't fought in the war for nothing. She hadn't lost some of her closest friends just to live an easy life.
She shoved two cookies in her mouth and opened the book again. There was a knock on the door and she looked at her wristwatch.
Who the bloody hell would be stopping by this late? she thought. But she had a feeling who it was and, as she opened the door, her suspicions were confirmed.
"Hello, Ronald," she said sternly. He pushed his way inside. "Out with the boys again?" she asked, already knowing the answer.
"Got anything to eat?" he asked from inside the kitchen.
Ron would stop by every so often after a boys night out. Ginny had given him quite the telling off for coming home drunk, and Hermione suspected that he was a bit afraid of Ginny's temper. They usually had a fairly pleasant evening, eating and talking before Ron would crash on her sofa. But sometimes, it wasn't as pleasant.
"Help yourself," she answered. She went into her room and put on a robe over her nightgown. As she entered the living room she noticed that all the cookies on her plate were gone and Ron was lying on her sofa, eyes closed, breathing heavily.
"Sit yourself up Ron, honestly sometimes you are such a lush!" He did as he was told without answering. "I'll make you a sandwich," Hermione continued.
"With chocolate milk please." Ron kicked off his shoes and opened his bag.
"Look, George convinced me to buy this."
Hermione was bent down looking for ham in her refrigerator, but let gasp as she stood back up and saw what Ron held in
his hands. It was a pink T-shirt with the words
"Ladies, I have a huge.…"
"Ron, you can't go out in public in that awful…"
Ron turned the t-shirt around, and on the back it read: "…Wand!"
"Still, it's ghastly."
Hermione sat Ron's chocolate milk and sandwich in front of him.
"Thanks Hermione, you are so good to me."
Hermione was feeling very tired and wasn't really in the mood for hourly long drunken talks. She had to get up early in the morning for training, and she knew Ron was leaving for Ireland early as well.
"So who was there tonight?"
"Same old. George, Fred and Neville. Bill stopped by for a while, though."
Hermione's mind wandered for a few minutes, she thought about their lost friends. The Patil twins, Katie Bell, Justin Finch-Fletchley - all brave members of the former DA.
"How was your date?" Ron asked and looked gloomy.
"Not too good, actually," she admitted.
"You should just get rid of that wanker, he looks like he can't be trusted." Hermione started rubbing her temples, she was so tired. "You all right?" Ron asked.
"Just had a tough day, and I'm really tired." Hermione hoped Ron would take the hint.
"Why was it tough? Did he do anything?" Ron shot out of the sofa, "I'll give him a lesson, I swear!" Hermione grabbed his arm and pulled him back down.
"Oh shut it you drunken fool, he didn't do anything. Our teachers are working us very hard right now, that's all."
Eventually Ron fell asleep and Hermione could proceed in cleaning up after him. She sat down for a while in her armchair and watched him. He was truly one of the two dearest people in her life. She knew Ron missed Harry just as much as she did, maybe not in the same way - but still. He felt so lost without Harry. She put a blanket over Ron and then went to her bedroom and fell asleep immediately.
As her alarm rang she knew she could expect Ron to be in the kitchen making her breakfast, this was also part of their routine. Well, he didn't make breakfast as much as he bought breakfast for them. None the less, Hermione appreciated it. She hurried in the shower and dressed quickly, she didn't want to be late for training. As she entered the kitchen she wasn't disappointed - Ron had bought cappuccinos and muffins.
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"Faster!" a large fat Auror screamed at the group. They were running an obstacle course and the whole group was struggling to keep up. Hermione looked at the others; they looked just as exhausted as she felt. The obstacle course had been charmed to look different every time they ran it, and it was different for everyone depending on what their weaknesses were. For instance, Hermione had troubles climbing the tall walls without magic and, therefore, she got extra walls. The guy running next to her had trouble conjuring a patronus when boggarts - disguised as dementors - were flying at him, so he received extra boggarts.
I wish we could swap, that would be so easy for me! she thought, irritated.
When they were finally done with the obstacle course they had just ten minutes to change and get ready for their next class. Classes weren't a problem for Hermione, as she was always at the top of her class, and that definitely hadn't changed. She just found it hard to focus one hundred percent after running the obstacle courses.
Her mind wandered of and she dreamed of her bed. She had changed the sheets before she left and the thought of new crispy clean sheets teased her.
Maybe she'd make herself a nice cup of hot chocolate.
*BAAM*
Her teacher had slammed a large book on to Hermione's desk.
"Am I bothering your dreaming?" he yelled out.
Hermione jerked back to reality.
"Sorry professor," she mumbled.
Her professor turned and walked back to the front of the room.
"Tough night with Jonathan?" the girl next to her whispered and Hermione smiled politely.
When the hell did a couple of dates with a guy turn into people believing we're some sort of couple?
"As I said, next month we will be starting intense flying practice and you will all get to borrow top brooms. You should practice at home before we start, because it will get intense pretty quickly…"
Hermione went rigid, flying! She knew it was just a matter of time, but she didn't want it to happen so soon.
Hermione felt like she was dragging her feet behind her. Since she was living in a muggle apartment building she wasn't allowed to apparate there. All she could think of was her bed. If a bathtub could have fit in her bathroom she would have climbed in it for hours, but all she had was a small shower. As she entered the apartment she sunk to the floor when she had closed the door. She leaned her head against it. Just one more day until weekend, and tomorrow they only had classes, no physical training.
She finally dragged herself off the floor and went into the kitchen. She opened her window and let the cold November air in.
She pointed her wand at the radio and music started playing. As she made her dinner she danced along to the music. She looked at her eggs frying in the pan while buttering two pieces of toast. She let out a loud start as she saw to large yellow eyes staring at her.
"He-Hedwig?" she asked but she knew very well that it was Harry's snowy owl sitting at her window. Hermione dashed forward and untied the scroll at her foot. Hedwig glared at her.
"I'm sorry I don't have any bird treats. Will a piece of toast do?"
Hermione walked over and grabbed a slice. Hedwig looked happier, she took the bread and then flew off.
Hermione turned of the radio and sat down in her armchair. She knew the handwriting outside the letter very well. With shaky hands she slowly opened the letter.
Did you miss me? Well whether you did or not, soon you won't be able to get rid of me. I'm coming back from training. Can you believe it? I'm an Auror now!
Can't wait to see you, we have so much to catch up on. I promise I'll tell you everything about where I have been and what I've been up to. And I can't wait to hear what the two of you have been doing the past two years. I hope Hedwig finds you all right, I don't know if you're still living in London but I sure hope so. Anyway, won't write that much more right now. I have a lot of letters to write. I will see you soon.
Harry
She read the letter three more times. Harry was coming home, and soon! She couldn't believe it. She had waited for so long. Suddenly she didn't feel hungry anymore, her stomach felt as if it was filled with butterflies.
She went over to the kitchen area and poured herself a large glass of red wine. She felt like she had earned it after the day she had had. It had barely touched her lips as there was a loud knock on her door.
The door opened before Hermione had gotten chance to move.
"Did you get one?!" Ginny was out of breath and was holding her chest. Slightly disappointed Hermione
answered:
"Yes and I see you did to."
"No! I didn't! I opened Ron's."
Ginny slammed Ron's letter on the kitchen table.
"Ginny! You shouldn't open his mail," Hermione scolded.
"Who cares about that? I saw the handwriting, I knew it was him. I had to know. I can't believe he is coming back. I apparated straight here," she held up her hand at Hermione, "yeah yeah I know it's not allowed in this building - but who cares?!"
Hermione started giggling.
"Harry's coming back," she said and hugged Ginny tightly. The girls both beamed.
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