Obviously, I shouldn't write another WIP but I can't help it. :) Though I hope you like it. It'll be short, I tell you. This one is shorter than FLCD and MTME would be. I hope you'll like this too.
Five years after the war, the wizarding world had varied. It had adopted to change, less tolerance upon pureblood mania, and more to muggle innovation on few things. Upon this changes, the adaptation of muggle technology was the greatest. The wizarding world had adopted the television and the telephone, although, those were of limited uses. It couldn't be used in Hogwarts, in the Ministry or in St. Mungo's where magic had inflitrated every bit of the air they breath. Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade were free though, being out in the open field and no wards around them.
With this change, increased the wizarding entertainment. While Quidditch World Cup was still as crowded as ever, witches and wizards across the globe could actually watch it live. Magic and muggle technology seemed limitless, but not quite, for they could only see through one angle at a time. Apart from the world famous Quidditch competitions came the bloom of television shows akin to those of the muggle world. And come 2003, reality shows were more rampant, most especially when it came to the matters of fashion and romance.
In this sense, we'll see our female lead with her best friend. Hermione Granger had grown up to be one of the famous young women in the country. Her heroic deed in the past war, and her brilliance in healing arts had paved a bright way in her career. In the seemingly perfect life of our protagonist however, there seemed to be a problem. Hermione Granger has a non-existent love life.
It was truth that she was always followed by suitors, if the pile of letters that she had to test for dark magic and such every day was the basis, but nothing interest her. Nothing. Why? Because all of them were golddiggers and fame-using-gits. Her Order of Merlin First Class for her deeds on the war had given her an insurmountable piles of gold, silver and bronze in her account, add to the fact that she was one of the most highly paid healers of the Spell Damage Ward, much less the whole country, Hermione Granger could live without working and still her great grandchildren would be living in wealth.
But she couldn't have that. She wouldn't have that. Hermione Granger was much more than that. Hermione Granger needs more than that. Although that realization did not affect any single ounce of determination in her best friend's search for Hermione's man in life. Nope. Ginny Potter nee Weasley has a goal. And an ad in the television at the Burrow, Arthur insisted they should have it, had sparked her already ignited flame of determination for her conquest. In a blink of an eye, Ginny had disapparated in their weekly dinner in the Burrow and to Hermione's flat in London.
"But you have to join Hermione. You have to!" Ginny whined as she pouted and clamped her hand together beside the brunette witch, who was currently tuning out the redhead while she read the latest report on the newesr patient she had.
"No, I will not join," she said firmly, her focus still on her file, as she bit her lip in concentration.
"But you need someone to spice up your life. And this might be it! I have a good feeling about this," the redhead insisted. She was absolutely short of kneeling in front of the older witch.
"No, Ginny, it is utterly ridiculous." Hermione said, turning a page of the file and her eyes continuing to read it.
"Please, Hermione. You've been single for so long. Since that debacle with Anton," the redhead made a small face, "you've been quite..." She trailed off, biting her lip and looking away.
Hermione's sharp gaze looked away from the file and towards the younger witch. "Quite what Ginny?"
"You're alone, and been indifferent to many things, Hermione you need a life." Ginny continued after a moment's hesitation and a daring look on her face as she stared on Hermione. She was not a Gryffindor for nothing.
"I'll have you know that I have a life Ginny, and my patients need me. They need me more than my love life needs boost." Hermione said in a matter-of factly tone.
"Honestly, I can't see why my lovelife concern you, Gin." Hermione sighed and stood from her sit, placed the folder on the coffee table and stood up to go to the kitchen. She pulled two glasses from the cupboard and pitcher of pumpkin juice from the icebox.
"You're my friend, Hermione. And I miss my friend. You're so lost in your work you barely give time to us. That all happened when that foul git Anton humiliated you in St. Mungo's ball. Don't you dare deny it, Hermione!" Ginny shouted from the living room.
And Hermione didn't. Anton had been her boyfriend for two years. Loving, sweet man, attentive and very understanding. He was one of Harry's colleagues in the Ministry, and he asked her out on a date after Harry and Ginny's engagement party. A year later, they we're on their way to marriage themselves after the Weasley-Potter nuptials, but Hermione wanted to wait until she finished her training in St. Mungo's and her breakthrough in the medicine. Finally, on their two-year anniversary, coincidentally, St. Mungo's fundraising ball for the new Children's ward, the most unexpected event happened.
Anton arrived with her, both in their dashing appearances. They've attended numeorus balls, but most were private balls for Hermone hated the crowd. She was still a sought after person even after years, but this crowd she couldn't evade. She was a healer in St. Mungo's after all. She had a feeling, the moment she stepped out of the luxurious car, that Anton wasn't quite his usual self. He was more demanding, and over all self-appreciating of everything and anything. He, at first, acted as an overly gentleman to her. It wasn't until the dances had started that everything happened. Hermione was walking at the side of the dance floor with a glass of wine in hand. She had just barely escaped the grasp of conversation with Professor Slughorn and on her way to Anton, only to find him with the infamous Rita Skeeter. Her blood boiled upon seeing the woman, but she maintained her composure. She walked to her fiancee and when he turned around, their distance was too small that he bumped her hand with the glass. The glass tipped, and the wine poured on his robes. "What the hell Hermione? That's a 450 galleon robe!" Anton exclaimed. And with that started a screaming match between the two. People had surrounded them, the music stopped and only their voice were heard. Suffice to say, his last words had stung her deeply. "Because that's what your use Granger. Your money and fame is what all I want you ugly bitch!" Anton's voice boomed in her ears, her knees buckled and her sight blurred. A pair of arms caught her before she fell, the last thing she remembered was her bestfriends beating bloody pump out of his ex-fiancee.
"Still, no, Giny." She said as she returned with the tray floating before her to the living room. "I can't see the point of me joining this Bachelor game, being stuck in a huge house with bloody airheads, to me having a life. In fact, I see it as a jail," she said ever so calmly as she poured herself and her friend a drink.
"But Hermione, can't you see? You'll be in a game. The point is, you don't have to fall in love with this guy, you just have to compete. And falling in love with the guy is just a bonus." Ginny said changing her tactic, mumbling and absentminded 'thank you.' If Hermione won't budge into joining because of the prize, maybe she'll budge because of the fact that its a competition.
"The point is, I have work to do. And I still say no." Hermione finished her drink and took the folder from the table and resumed her reading. Just then, as if on cue, her fireplace chimed announcing someone's arrival.
"Ginevra Potter. It's time to go," Harry Potter arrived through the floo, his stern gaze on his wife. She just disappeared during dinner, he was left to hear all the sermon from Molly, and all the teasing from the twins. "Evening, Hermione," he said, his voice softening towards his greeting to his best friend.
"Evening, Harry." Hermione smiled warmly before turning back her gaze on the file.
"Bye Gin, bye Harry," the brunette witch absentmindedly waved her hand in goodbye towards the couple as Harry half-dragged his wife to the fireplace to floo.
"Bye Hermione." Harry said, as he light nudged Ginny in the fireplace.
"Whatever, Hermione. I'll make sure you join that game, if it's the last thing I'll do in my life." Ginny Potter muttered darkly before disappearing to the green flames out of Hermione's house.
Review please :)