"I just don't get it!" The young brunette woman rolled her eyes tossing, rather placing carefully, the last of her books into her trunk. Of course there was an undetectable enlargement charm on it after all who knew which books she would need! Better to take them all. Nibbling on her full, pink, bottom lip, rolling it around between white, perfect teeth. Teeth she could thank her parents, and Madam Pomfrey for.
"What is there not to get?" She asked looking up at the angry ginger who had been storming about their room, slowing down her packing. Hermione felt exasperated with Ron, it wasn't as if he wouldn't be busy with his own life.
"Why do you have to leave? Why do you have to go get a job? After everything that happened," As he spoke her long time boyfriend didn't notice the slow storm building in the honey brown eyes of his beloved. ", Harry and I both have great Auror jobs, they pay well, it's not like we need the money." At first Ron had been very pleased with the money, though no one blamed him as he'd grown up poor. Hermione though, had read through all her books, tried to write one, and still felt as if something were missing. She knew, now, that a job, feeling as if she were being productive, was missing.
"Because Ronald." Hermione said carefully, the use of his proper name catching his attention immediately. The blue of his eyes widening, slight terror building within him. If there was one thing he feared, besides his mother, it was his lover angry. His mouth went dry as he stared at her. Taking a breath, counting backwards from ten to calm herself down, Hermione's tone became less vicious. "Around the house I just. . ."
"You don't feel useful around here?" He suggested before she could add anymore. Hermione's eyes widened in surprise, she hadn't thought he noticed. "Come on Hermione, before we relied on you to be our brain, around here, you keep the house clean, you've become a tootin' good cook. There's nothing else for you to conquer." He swung an arm around her, kissing her cheek softly pulling her to him, pecking her on the lips. "I might be daft at times, but you're the thing I notice most."
"Ron." Hermione would have swooned, had she not been dating the young man for over a year now. He didn't often say sweet things, though Hermione had a sneaking feeling that he listened to Harry, who listened to Ginny, who listened to Hermione, and knew when she needed some TLC. Hermione gave him an enthusiastic kiss before pulling away, quickly dashing a few things away into her trunk. "Thank you! The year will go quicker than you think." Hermione assured him.
Ron shook his head, a smile on his freckled face sitting down to watch her curls, not to mention her rear, twirl about the room grabbing the last few things. There was a new kick in her step, knowing that Ron was no longer protesting her going off to college.
"It's going to be so lovely." Ron began to nod as Hermione prattled off about the University she had chosen, not that there were many magical Universities in the world. "Apparently they don't call it Uni over there though." With that reminder, Ron grumbled a little. He could have lived without the fact that Hermione was being sent away to Scotland. "Come on Ron!" Hermione said with a roll of her eyes.
"I just don't like the idea of you being so far away from England is all." He conceded as Hermione snapped her trunk closed. Crookshanks, who was no closer to accepting Ron than to accepting mice in the house, gnomes in the lawn, or doxies in Harry's house, the house which used to be Sirius' home. Harry had been antsy about moving into it but, in the end, after Hermione had placed a charm on the curtains, so Lady Black would never 'accidentally' awake and scream bloody murder.
Ginny, who last Hermione heard was attempting to find the perfect way to tell Harry they'd be parents in nine months, stuck to being a home maker. Hermione found it admirable but.
"Not for me." She muttered. Ron looked at her, a brow arched. Hermione shook her head, smiling at him once more. "Don't worry about it." Swooping down she kissed his mop of ginger hair. "You'll be able to visit you know, it's just an appariation away." Hermione reminded him scooping of Crookshanks and giving the fat ginger a smooch as well.
"Yeah I know but, the idea of it being under water." Ron rubbed the back of his neck as he grabbed her trunk heading outside with her, a carriage awaiting. "It gives me the creeps 'Mione." Ron admitted loading the trunk. Auror training had been rigorous, helping keep up Ron's physique, not that Hermione complained in the least. "I read about the school, Diuinitati, or whatever it is." Ron's voice had lowered considerably. "It's said to be guarded by the Loch Ness Monster." Hermione couldn't help the throaty laugh that emerged from her.
"Really Ron? The Loch Ness Monster? That's nothing more than a fairy tale. Fairy tales, even in the magical world, don't exist." Oh how those words would haunt her. Not that Hermione knew that. Opening the carriage door, Hermione gave Ron a brilliant smile preparing her goodbye before Ron captured her face in his hands, giving her the most passionate kiss she could remember, save for during the battle of Hogwarts. As he pulled away, leaving Hermione quite breathless, he pressed another kiss, though this one soft, against her lips.
"What was that for?" Hermione asked, her brown eyes dazed with lust and hunger as she looked at him. Ron grinned letting her slip into the carriage, touching the tips of her fingers as he did.
"I'm going to miss you, and while you're gone, I don't want you to forget that I love you, you're mine. Don't go falling for anyone while you're there just because they have that thick accent." Ron rubbed his lower lip as he thought. "Seamus did have a way with the ladies when we went out to the pub that night." He shook his head remembering it. "Though it could have been because he was the only single one among us." Ron added beginning to ramble before Hermione's giggle made him look up.
"I'm going to miss you as well Ron." Hermione said and kissed his hand, hearing the impatient sound of hooves clacking, horses waiting to move. "I love you as well and trust me, I'm not going to fall for anyone, especially because of their accent." Ron smiled, not doubting her at all, there was no trace of it on his face at least. Closing the carriage door, Ron waved as Hermione departed, the carriage heading towards the ocean port. The journey would be a long one, compared to the train ride to Hogwarts. Worth it though, every minute would be worth it. About an hour later, Hermione found herself, slightly green faced, who knew boats were so much like flying?, but otherwise nestled safely in a cabin of a glorious ship. It looked like a ship but, they were underwater, of that Hermione was sure. As she could no longer see the sunshine just miles and miles of beautiful blue water. Opening her acceptance letter, reading over the parchment for the hundred and twelfth time, Hermione couldn't stop the infectious smile on her face.
Congratulations Ms. Granger!
We are proud to inform you that you've been accepted to study at our school Diuinitati, we would also like to thank you for choosing our institution in furthering your Witchcraft career. At our school you will receive the moderately public surroundings, as well as needed one on one time that most gifted Witches and Wizards need.
The rest of the letter seemed basic, one that any school would have sent out but it still made Hermione feel that much more special. It didn't hurt that she wouldn't be sharing a dormitory with six other girls, a wing with them yes, but she'd just be sharing a dormitory with one of girl. A. Greengrass. The name rang a few bells in Hermione's head but she couldn't exactly place it. Not that, that mattered to Hermione. She could ignore girl's easily, had for most of her life, they had a tendency to find things to make fun of, her hair, her teeth, before Hogwarts of course, amongst other things.
"This is going to be wonderful. V-." Hermione sucked in a small breath as she spoke to herself. "Voldemort is gone, there's nothing to fear. Ron and I are happy and I'll be receiving grades again! What could make this worse?" She mused to herself.