She woke up with a start—another nightmare. Her sleeping spell had failed again to stop the recurring flashes of memory summoned from a dark time not to long ago. No matter, Hermione thought, I'll just go start breakfast. She hurriedly got dressed and left Ron snoring loudly into his pillow.
Fleur was downstairs, feeding her second daughter, sixth month old Sophie. Hermione forced a smile and started making pancakes.
"Pancakes, Fleur?" Hermione offered in mock sweetness. She knew what was coming, but couldn't resist.
"No, zank you. The zecond child always causes ze body to balloon. I'm on Wanda Lockhart's special organic weight loss plan. I thought I mentioned it."
"Oh yes, how could I forget?" Hermione replied. She had only mentioned it a few dozen times since her arrival at the Burrow a week ago.
Fleur had insisted on coming down to see her daughter Holly off to Hogwarts; Holly would probably have made it into Beuxbatons if it hadn't been destroyed at the beginning of the War eleven years ago. Holly had stayed here with her cousins while Fleur and Bill took care of Ministry business Hermione personally assigned them to.
Hermione had taken it upon herself to rebuild the Ministry of Magic; after a year of intense work, it was finally opening. She wasn't surprised when she was nominated by the people to become the first new Minister of Magic. In fact, she was expecting it; she had been the one to suggest a vote by all wizarding people. The day after tommorow, September second, was her first official day, which would allow her to see her eleven-year daughter off to Hogwarts. This, like the Ministry, was Hogwart's first year open since the start of the War. Their lives were finally reverting back to normal, but...
"Is zomething burning?" Fleur's voice startled Hermione. She looked up just in time to see the pancakes catch on fire.
Hermione Granger Weasley was a lot of things, but she was not a cook.