AN: Written for CUtopia's The Absolutely Insane Historical AUs Challange. My time period was the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
At first I wanted to make Hermione and Tom Red Cross' volunteers and write it as a non-magical AU, but it occured the Japanese government had signed the Geneva Convention but had not ratified it, so Japan was not bound by its terms and in August 1942, the Japanese ordered that no neutral ship, even flying the flag of the Red Cross, would be allowed in Japanese waters.
Who met under the plumtree on the eve of Hiroshima bombing then?
Under the plumtree
Hermione looked at her pocket watch impatiently. They were supposed to meet on August 5th at noon under the plumtree, there was no mistake.
Hovewer, she was sitting alone on one of the many benches in the nothern part of the sunny park. Although the war wasn't over yet, a lot of people came out of their houses; the summer was unbearably hot and the air was still for days. A young woman sat down not far away from her; she was probably taking a break from her factory work, Hermione deduced from her grimy dress and the small lunchbox she put out of her canvas bag.
Unsurprisingly she felt even more out of place than usually. Her dress wasn't new, but at least it was lovely once.
Once again she regreted not leaving Japan when she had the chance. She wanted to be home so bad.
But she had no choice now; five years ago she wanted to be a hero – now she was only dreaming about seeing her parents again. At first it wasn't so bad; she was studying magic in Kyoto alongside Luna Lovegood and Ginny Weasley – their mentor was known for sharing her secrets only with women she found suitable for the ancient knowledge. And Kyoto was full of magic! She missed the early mornings when girls from a nearby okiya would pass by her window going to their lessons at a geisha school. Or the rainy afternoons in spring when cherry blossoms swinged in the fresh air; it seemed these memories were from another life, from a world gone long ago.
Everything changed from the day war was declered. She wanted to go back to Britain, but Albus Dumbledore concieved her to stay. She was needed right where she was – inside the enemy's troops. How could she refuse? She, Hermione Granger of Order of Pheonix? It was her duty to help those at home.
She wasn't so lonely at first; the magical shields around Japan weren't very strict back in 1939 and some friends were able to come... and go. In the end only a few of them stayed and when her teacher had to leave Kyoto, she lost the last person she could call family in this now foreign and hostile country. In a desperate attempt to cheer herself up she made the worst thing possible - she made a connection with someone at home.
She contacted Tom.
Hermione was sure that Dumbledore would stop him somehow, that he would make him stay at Hogwarts, where he was safer and where he was needed as much as she was in Japan. The great plan to defeat Gellert Grindenwald wouldn't work without him.
Shouldn't she know better? Tom knew nothing about halves – there was no half-hate, half-passion or half-love for him. He used the last connection tunnel they had and apparated in Tokyo just one day before the country was locked.
No one could get in. No one could get out.
She started to fear both for her own and his life.
Working together was thrilling and frightening, exciting and hard, all at the same time. There was no spy that could beat her brilliance and his fineness; slowly they were becoming heroes – hidden in Japan, but awaited at home.
If only they could finally go home.
"The charming plum," she heard a familiar voice behind her back. "Happiness and good fortune for the Japanese, but a symbol of beauty for the Chinese."
"Sweet anticipation of promises and rewards of something one was waiting for," Hermione replied, trying to hide her smile. She was supposed to be angry at him.
But how could she?
"Why are you late?," she tried to ask, but Tom interrupted her, sitting down on the bench:
"My dear, we simply didn't synchronize our watches."
She laughed, probably a little bit too loud. The woman sitting next to them looked at her suspiciously.
"It's not too wise to meet in public places like this, Tom," Hermione suggested, "The war is not over yet."
"But it's nearly over," he replied, kissing her hand soflty. It felt almost unreal to be sit in a park together, talking just like that, nearly innocently. "Hermione, I'm here to tell you we're going home."
She glanced at him for a long momnet. A stray cat came towards them out of nowhere and sat nearby.
"Harry and Ron were working on it for months," he explained, seeing her disbelief. "The shields are stronger than ever, but only if you want to come in. And if you're trying to go out... it's more than possible to work."
"When?," she was only able to ask. Her parents! She haven't seen them in five years! Something similar to a little bird seemed to awake in her chest.
"Tomorrow evening," Tom smiled, seeing her excitement. She might have been his whole world, but her own was so much bigger. "I've got a ticket for you, you can leave tonigh."
"Tonight?" Hermione frowned suddenly. "I have one last thing to do here... For uncle Albus," she added, clarifying her reasons.
"Are you sure uncle Albus... cannot wait?"
"I'm sure," she squized his hand lighlty, as if she was trying to ask him not to worry. She was good at her job, probably the best.
"I'll give you mine ticket then. The train leaves tomorrow in the morning," he searched for the piece of papier in his bag. They were never traveling together; Glamour Charms were too easy to detect and they couldn't risk being exposed. "And it'll all end for us," Tom added, standing up. If he wanted to catch his train, he had to go.
She smiled at him again, not able to conceal her joy. Did her parents know she was coming home?
"I'll be waiting for you in Nagasaki, love," Tom kissed her good-bye and started walking towards the park's gate, bowing to the factory woman politely.
Hermione grinned to herself. Tomorrow... A new beginning.
A light breeze shook the plumtree branches; sweet anticipation of promises and rewards...