I stare in the mirror and arrange my hair, I've tamed it, though it's less frizzy then when I was little it's still a curly mess, I've managed to get a hold of it though, I step back so I can see myself fully on the mirror hanging from the door and sigh. This was the outfit my mom bought me for Graduation. It's beautiful, the Deep Mediterranean blue, brings color to my skin and the brown sash draped a little crooked on my waist ties in my hair and eyes. It hits that spot between mid thigh and knee length, giving it the could be formal or causal look.
I miss her, I'm not going to get her back either. I feel a wave of sorrow pass through me as I look in the mirror, I feel like bawling, but the girl there has a small smile as if remembering a better time. I'm getting better at this, being strong for the others. And they need me strong tonight, It's Fred's welcome back dinner, which Mrs. Weasley made formal. All the girls have to wear dresses and the boys a button down shirt and tie. He got out of St. Mango's two days ago and is as good as new, but I don't understand the formal bit, It's not really him.
I look over at the clock, I'm five minutes late. I take one more glance in the mirror before straightening the last to be seen of the three dresses I own and heading down, my heels clacking on the stairs.
I'm not late, The twins, Bill, Fluer and Harry are the only one's to arrive, and Harry doesn't count since he's been staying here too, I smile at the crowd and slip into the kitchen before anyone notices me.
"Do you need any help Mrs. Weasley?" I ask wanting to help out as I'm staying in there house.
"Oh, No deary," She smiles, you can hear it in her voice, "You've done enough already."
I sigh at that and sink into a chair, nobody's let me do anything since the battle, It's all 'oh but there's no need.' 'I've got it' and of course 'you've done enough' Well dandy at least it's giving me time to study for my NEWTS, my test is in a month and I can feel the crunch. ONE MONTH! I stare at the plate in front of me and start muttering every spell I've learned, what it does and it's origin starting with first year. And hand is suddenly covering my view and I jump and squeal resisting the urge to grab my wand. I hear a chuckle behind me and then a voice whispers in my ear.
"Guess who!"
I slowly try to relax not paying attention to the voice and shake my head, I hear a sigh and the hands gone. I open my eyes slowly and turn to the seat I can feel him sitting in. Fred. Damn. I've been avoiding him since the battle, I really didn't want to talk about what I did, especially to him...It was awkward and I knew he'd heard all about it.
Mrs. Weasley lets out a noise and rushes from the room. I watch her go in horror, she just left me alone with the one person I didn't want to be alone with. It didn't take long for him to seize the moment.
"Hermione" He asks quietly in a tone I've never heard him use before, on that by default got me to look at him. He looks incredibly handsome in his rumbled button down and esque tie. I waited for him to start and right as he opened his mouth again Mrs. Weasley came back yelling dinner was ready. Harry and Ron came in first sitting across from me, and Luna floated close behind them sitting on my other side, she'd made herself apart of the family in no time at all. Everyone followed and as Charlie came in I checked around me, there were no empty seats. I looked at him and saw that he saw the same thing, he gave me an apologetic look and a shrug and I let out a sigh. Damn. Charlie has been sitting by me since we got here, he decided to spend the year here with British dragon's to help rebuild. There wasn't anything going on between us, but me and Harry always had to sit next to a Weasley boy at meals, WE had lived on boiled pine needles for months and Mrs. Weasley was trying to feed us six Weasley courses a meal, we could barely Finnish half of a normal one, so we devised a system where gave our food to the Weasley next to us, since they seemed to be bottomless pits.
Fred. He's a Weasley boy, and clever. He'll have to do, I can't give my food to Luna, she's not doing much better then me or Harry. She seems to notice That all seats are gone.
"Oh, I'm sorry Hermione" Her voice tinkles out. I shake my head.
"Nonsense" I say as my plate is suddenly filled with a small mountain of food. I start in, slowly nibbling at the chicken leg in front of me, cutting it instead of just stuffing it in my mouth like Ron is. I slowly pick through the leg and and a good chunk of Carrots before I decide I've eaten enough.
I sigh and look up at Harry, slowly taking a bite. Mrs. Weasley always makes sure we're eating before she starts. Harry does the same, when I swallow I start the cycle.
"Harry, have you seen the news?" I ask using peripheral to watch Mrs. Weasley. Harry shakes his head and I continue giving a little nod for him to go.
"Everyone who fought in the Battle of Hogwarts get's to start Auror training if they want." I say taking my time as he shovels a heap of food onto Ron's plate.
"Brilliant" he smiles and gives a nod himself signaling my turn to go. I shoot a glance at Mrs. Weasley. My luck couldn't get better, she had actually gotten up and turned her back to me. I smiled brightly acting as fast as possible dumping almost everything on my plate on to Fred's. He jumped a little and stared at me with shock, confusion and an are you insane look. I push his arm out of the way arranging the food to look like he put it there before returning my gaze to Harry who was smiling brightly at Fred's shocked face. Luna let out a lilting laugh as Ron looks up from his plate lost and the conversation continues as Mrs. Weasley re fills my plate and watches me closely. Fred seeming to know not to draw attention asked my name again.
"Yes" I answer not looking up from my plate taking small bites of chicken.
"What's going on?" I look up at him, then jerk my head at Harry and Ron for him to watch. Most of us are in on this, We have Ron, Luna, Ginny, Charlie, and Bill when he's here, We've got it down.
"Dinner," I say knowing Mrs. Weasley is watching me like a hawk and a pop a piece of Chicken in my mouth. Dinner passed in much the same fashion, I had gotten roughly through a chicken leg and fifteen carrots and was now full, Harry seemed to be the same. Fred had caught on quickly enough and I nudged his arm. His fork was instantly on my plate taking the rest of my fourth serving. When he was gone I sat back with a Happy sigh.
"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," I say Watching Ron and Harry get rid of his, " But I couldn't possibly fit any more in." She looked at my plate then me and smiled.
"Of course dear." Luna who has been feeling sick speaks up.
"May I be excused, Mrs. Weasley, I don't feel so well." Mrs. Weasley nodded her head a look of concern on her face, but Harry saved Luna by speaking up.
"I'm Stuffed" He stated. Mrs. Weasley instantly shot to him giving Luna time to escape.
"Oh, Dessert then," She smiled getting up and getting it, our plates magically cleared. It was apple pie. I smiled and took a bite and Harry did the same, Dessert was always the hardest, we couldn't eat it if we wanted to we where so full and we were watched intensely. I nodded my head gesturing for Fred to watch Harry and Ron, picking at my pie. They had it nailed, ever since Ron got caught and scolded. You really had to watch to notice that somewhere between the plate and Harry's mouth the pie disappeared. I felt Fred's arm touch mine and went to go for it. Midway between my mouth and plate a fork shot out and took the piece, It continued like this till I was at the crust. At which point I stand up thanking Mrs. Weasley and walk to put my plate in the sink. I really did feel like that sick full at this point. Living on the edge of starvation had been really bad for me and harry, but we'd gained some weight since we got back. Still I'd had to sneak out to Madame Malkins to have her bring in my dress about a size and a half so that it fit like it was suppose too. I turned and saw Harry giving Ron's arm a squeeze of thanks as he was about to get up, I walked back across the room to get to the Den giving Fred's shoulder an almost unnoticeable squeeze of thanks as I passed, I could feel him tense under the brief touch and knew I'd thank him properly later.
"Hermione, Dear" I hear Mrs. Weasley sing, I freeze at the sound of it. That was her 'I have a plan and your following it voice'. I plaster on the content face I worked on earlier and turned, looking only at her and the smile that backed up my fear.
"Yes?" I asked
"You look gorgeous, dear.
"Thank you," I was not expecting that, My eyes shoot down to look at my dress before I turned and went through the door, remembering that nobody had actually seen it till then since I'd been sitting. A more pressing thought entered my mind though. What was Mrs. Weasley planning?
I walk to Luna who's reading the Quibbler on the couch, she'd basicly moved in since the war as she wasn't talking to her father, and we had the strange golden light to research.
"I got the voice," I say sinking next to her before leaning down and taking off my heels.
"Ooooh," Luna looked up from what she was reading, "And who was the other one?" She asked. I shake my head.
"I was to afraid to look anywhere other then her." I say
"And rightly so" I look up to see Ginny walk in, her baby blue dress floating around her. "Gives her more fuel. That's never good."
"What's never good?" Ron asks as he walks in with Harry and Ginny plops herself next to me. We both grab our reading material, mine a NEWT book and Ginny a copy of Witch Weekly. I roll my eyes and sit back. I lift my arms knowing what's coming, at the same time Ginny's feet appear in my lap, Luna snuggles into my other side under my arm. I open my book on top of Ginny Feet putting mine on the coffee table and drop my other arm on the back of the couch and begin to read.
I have no idea how long I've been reading, but I move my hand behind the couch to itch the side of my nose, because it's seriously itchy.
"That is seriously creepy." I hear and I stop mid scratch to look up and find out what's creepy.
"What is?" I ask, hearing Luna and Ginny's voices harmonizing with mine as we speak in unison. Charlie laughs
"Yeah, they're always like that now, you get used to it," He smiles
"Though it's creeper then you two," Ron speaks up, " They blink at the same time, Turn the page at the same time..." He trails off and my eyes dart around to the speakers, and then to the twins in slight confusion.
"Yea," Bill speaks up, "The do everything in sync."
"Even Breathe," Fluer says from her chair. I look over at her, and as one Ginny brings up her knees and me and Luna scoot over making room for her. She smiles getting up and sitting with us, leaning against the arm rest like Ginny and fitting her legs in with Luna's, another foot appearing in my lap.
"Creepy," George says and before Fred can say anything, I roll my eyes.
"Whatever," I say again with Luna and Ginny, before turning back to my book, Ginny turns to talk to Charlie who's sitting in an armchair by her and Luna and Fluer start talking in french, I cross my ankles on the coffee table emerging myself back into my studies.
