Cool To Be a Fool

Chapter One – The Letter


 Hermione Granger looked at the massive ship docked at the large port in front of her, sitting perfectly still, incredibly calm and unnerving. It had been almost three years of working at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries without a vacation for Hermione, the healer of six years, and if any time was appropriate, it was now.

There had been so much happening the last couple of years. The attacks from Voldemort and his Death Eaters had become more and more apparent as the Dark Lord continued to grow stronger. She'd had to bury so many friends. So many.... There was Roger Davies, who had died after only his third week of becoming an auror. There was Dean Thomas who had died, not as an auror or even a member of the ministry, but as an adoring husband just trying to save his wife and newborn child. None of which had lived and she'd had to watch as the casualty toll grew higher and higher. She felt tears threatening to fall as she thought of not only the casualties, but the family members that had gone missing. It had been too hard, too hard for everyone. She was told to lose contact with both of them, so she did just that. She never thought she'd hear from them again until she received the letter. The letter that would change everything.

***

"Ow!" Hermione screeched as she stubbed her toe on the kitchen stool. "Damn stool!" She exclaimed rather loudly. Rushing around the house angrily early in the morning, already running late, was not her idea of a beginning to the perfect day in which her horoscope had entitled her to. She always had hated anything to do with 'fortunes or a seeing eye' because they never worked in her case and this was proof. She still didn't know why she'd read that damn daily horoscope as if something good would finally happen to her... it never did and never would... or so she thought.

She started to button the top to her black business suit aggressively, reaching for the freshly toasted bagel across the counter. She walked quickly into the bathroom and pinned her hair in a loose bun to her head, leaving curls falling out every which way, making her dark brown eyes stand out that much more. As she ran into her large bedroom, she grabbed the glasses off of her nightstand and put them on hurriedly, grabbing her briefcase and purse on the way out. She slipped on a pair of black shoes and pulled down her knee-length black skirt before apparating into her private office on the third floor of St. Mungo's. She put down her briefcase and purse immediately as she noticed a large, white owl tapping on the window.

"Hedwig?" Hermione wondered out loud. "No, it couldn't be." She opened the window with an abrupt motion and the owl flew in easily. The owl landed on her shoulder and dropped the letter in her hand gracefully. Hermione's jaw dropped. That's exactly how Hedwig used to deliver the mail. Hermione stared at the rolled parchment for what seemed like hours, although in all actuality it was only for mere seconds.. As if it were burning a hole in her hand, she dropped it on the large wooden desk covered in neat, organized stacks of paper work. The owl nibbled on the ringlet of hair behind Hermione's ear and Hermione finally grinned and walked over to the owl perch where her usual worker owl would normally be eating, but he was absent, probably delivering mail for another doctor. Hedwig hopped gratefully onto the wooden stand and began pecking at the food in front of her face. Hermione stroked Hedwig's back sweetly, still in awe.

"I can't believe it." Hermione completely forgot about the letter awaiting her on her desk as she watched the old, friendly owl eat the owl food. There was a knock at the door, interrupting Hermione's thoughts.

"Hermione?" The handsome male poked his head just inside the door to see Hermione standing by the owl. "Hey, can I come in?" He smiled and she nodded her head, snapping out of her imaginative day dream.

"Oh, yes, sure. Sorry, Dr. Mitchell," She paused and approached her desk, pushing the parchment to the side, hoping he wouldn't ask why the specific parchment sat in the middle, in no organized position. That was always Hermione: the neat freak.

"I told you to call me Steven." He replied quickly, shutting the door behind him.

"Sorry, Steven," Hermione gulped. He never shut the door unless it was important. She racked her brain for something that she could have done to cause trouble, but she couldn't remember anything.

"Sorry to interrupt, I was just wanting to come by and talk to you..." He paused, leaving the room incredibly silent, vacant of the usual sounds of patients and doctors alike.

"Sit down, sit down," Hermione urged, motioning toward the chairs positioned in front of her desk. The young doctor sat down in the black leather chair, running his hand through his black hair and looked up at her, the gold wedding ring on his left ring finger catching the light of the window behind the desk.

"It's been a year now, Hermione," He paused and looked at her in a concerned manner. He stopped uncomfortably, the silence vibrating from every wall with only the sound of Hedwig clucking her food instinctively. Hermione just nodded her head in response, wondering where he could possibly be going with this. "We want you to take a vacation."

Hermione just laughed. "A vacation? Where would I go? Who would I go with?" She paused. "What's the point and who is 'we' anyway?" She just looked at him, surprised. She hadn't been expecting this at all. Her boss, the head doctor, had come to her office to ask her to take a vacation. This day was getting stranger and stranger.

"We, as in, the staff... your friends," He tried to give the most polite smile he could muster. It was just enough to make Hermione smile and decide.

"No." She replied calmly, shuffling a few papers on her desk quietly. "I don't need nor do I want a vacation, but thanks anyway," She smiled sweetly as her hand brushed the parchment that she'd completely forgotten about. Her heart began to race and she'd wish her boss would leave so she could read it as quickly as possible. As if he'd heard her pleas for solemnity, the doctor stood from the chair and started for the door. As he touched the handle he turned.

"At least I tried. If you change your mind, you know where to find me." He sighed and opened the door, closing it quietly behind him. Hermione reached for the parchment and ripped open the ribbon with ease.

"Dearest Hermione (or should I say Dr. Granger)-

How are you? It's been awhile, huh? I'm sure you didn't expect a letter from me any time soon, probably never thought to hear from me ever again, but there's been a change of plans (or prophecies as Professor Dumbledor says). In two weeks, there's a cruise liner to the Caribbean islands, with your name all over it where we can discuss in more detail what I'm talking about (I feel apprehensive writing it in a letter that could be intercepted at any moment). Owl me as soon as you can with your response and I'll give you details. I would have apparated to see you personally, but there are still some protection issues. Trust me, I've always insisted on personal encounters because I've never been to good with letters, but I'm just following orders.

See you soon.

With love-

Harry"

Hermione's heart continued to beat at a more rapid pace and she grabbed the nearest quill she could find.

A good hour later, she had finished her two page response and sealed it cautiously, tying it to Hedwig's leg.

"Thanks, Hedwig," She stroked the owl again before it took off out of the open window to deliver the letter that could change Hermione's life. Hermione stood from her desk, took off her white doctor's coat and stethoscope in order to find Dr. Steven Mitchell. She almost collided with him halfway down the hallway.

"Hermione?" He asked questionably, looking down at the beaming Hermione which he hadn't seen in years.

"That vacation you were talking about... give me two weeks."

***

As Hermione stood there, sunlight drenching her somewhat tanned skin, she started thinking back to the last vacation she'd gone on... She had been with... him.

They'd traveled the United States without a care in the world for an entire month. They'd done things she'd never dreamed of doing and things she'd only heard of as a child (and at the time, she just scorned and swore to herself she would never be caught in such a trap). Even at the age of thirty, she'd never learned so much. Her entire career at Hogwarts and medical school could not compare to that amazing month in the United States.

But she had to forget. It was never going to happen again. Especially not with him.

"Herm?" A familiar voice called from behind. She dropped the suitcase she had in one hand as she ran to hug the familiar boy... now man... with head full of messy black hair and broken glasses.

"I can't believe it!" She exclaimed excitedly. "You look great!" She had to admit with a smile. He had on a t-shirt, but glancing at the newly developed biceps peaking out from under the short sleeves, Hermione assumed that he hid the most muscle under his shirt which was billowing rapidly in the wind as the tide grew louder. She tried not to let her eyes wander too long, but three years can really change a person and it had definitely changed him for the best.

"You've changed since the last time I saw you," She smiled ecstatically as Harry embraced her quickly, spinning her around and putting her back down, making her short skirt even shorter. Hermione caught the glances from the crowd surrounding them, also awaiting to load, peering at the two as if they were a couple in love, a couple on a honeymoon ... a romantic getaway.

"Well, three years can do that to a person," Harry grinned his lopsided grin that made Hermione laugh genuinely for the first time since receiving his letter. She continued to smile up at him. 'He's grown taller, too,' she thought to herself.

"I'm sorry, Harry," She started. His index finger was on her lips immediately, quieting her, begging her not to continue.

"I understand." He stopped and looked around, the long black ends of his hair whipping in front of his glasses. This brought her attention the infamous glasses still sitting rather comfortably on his nose.

"Still haven't caught up with the latest muggle inventions? Those ugly old glasses... always have been broken," She smirked at him as he blushed a little. "Oculus Reparo!" Hermione blinked her eyes and the glasses automatically fixed themselves. "Much better."

"Wow! How'd you do that... no wand?" Harry asked energetically.

"Oh, finally, Hermione Granger, can hold something over Mr. Boy-Who-Lived." She laughed and stuck her tongue out at him, reaching for one of her bags, ready to tote it onto the cruise liner and depart for an exciting two weeks on the Caribbean.

"Finally? Finally? You've been holding stuff over me for how many years now? Fifteen, sixteen years?" Harry said, still intentionally blocking her way to the ship entrance.

"Harry, what's wrong? Why can't we get on? The crowd is much smaller now," She looked at him curiously. Harry tried to think of a way to stall. To his advantage, he didn't have to think much longer as the reason he'd been trying to avoid had just arrived.

"Harry?" The voice paused as he recognized the bushy-haired, brunette woman standing in front of Harry with her back to him. "Mione?"

Her heart sank. Only one person called her that and she hadn't heard it in three years, probably more. It felt like forever.

Ronald Weasley.

[Author's Note~~~ Hello, everyone! Thanks for reading Ch. 1… This chapter turned out great, didn't it? If you think so, PLEASE REVIEW! I'd love you forever! Also… I'm looking for a serious beta reader so e-mail me :-D Thanks in advance for the reviews. Another chapter will be up ASAP! XOXOX~Hannah Holt]