Author's Notes: This is a HermionexRon one shot for Pride-of-Slytherin2's 180 Titles Challenge. Hope you enjoy, and please review.
"Living in Your Letters"
Hermione sighed and glanced towards the ceiling. Biting her bottom lip, she jiggled her foot impatiently causing the small heels on her flats to tap on the floor. Tap, tap, tap. There was a huff and Ginny slammed her hand down on Hermione's leg, forcing it stop.
"Will you calm down already?"
Hermione smiled sheepishly and apologized, both girls turning back to their breakfast. While Ginny wasn't looking, Hermione sneaked a quick glance at the sky.
Not yet…
With a sigh, Hermione forced herself to pull out her Arithmancy book and study. Her NEWTS were only one month, three weeks and four days away. But the numbers just ran past her on the page, blurring into one black line. With a start, Hermione realized she had been reading the same paragraph for five minutes now.
She didn't even see or hear the owls arrive; it was as if she had developed a second sense for the owls by now. Glancing up one final time, she paused a second before seeing the first owl swoop in.
She didn't even bother closing her book. Waiting impatiently, staring at the ceiling, searching for the familiar brown owl. Pig hooted excitedly as he dove down towards her, landing on her book. His sharps talons ripped the pages slightly. Hermione winced, but ignored it as her fingers fumbled to untie the letter. After watching her fail at untying the letter for a solid two minutes, Ginny finally took pity on her. Untying the letter with one swift pull of the strings, Ginny handed the letter to Hermione with just a stern look and a shake of her head.
"I'll meet you in the library during free period," Ginny said, standing up from the Gryffindor table, flipping her long red hair over her shoulder.
"Yeah, bye," Hermione waved absentmindedly, already focused on her letter from Ron. Pig hooted excitedly, taking a sip of her orange juice before flying off.
Hermione,
Sorry for the wait. Training has been absolutely killer. I swear, Harry and I come home each day, and just go straight to bed. I haven't showered in three days.
But I absolutely bloody love Auror training! It's kind of like last year, except we're not starving and worried about Lord Voldemort. . . I've learned loads already. I'm doing pretty well, too. Harry and I are top of our class. Wow. Never though I'd be top of any class, let alone of the Aurors.
Last week, we had a day in the field. It was exactly like the maze in the Tri-Wizard tournament. We were split into different teams, and each team member went into this giant hedge maze separately, to practice what would happen if we were separated "in battle". And as you go through, you get attacked by the Trainers and all these dark creatures, and even other team members. First team to get all their conscious team members to the center got the rest of the day off. I was leader of the red team; Harry was leader of the green. I'm proud to say that my team one. We were the first to get there and only two members were unconscious. It beats the blue team; Malfoy was out cold within ten minutes apparently. Ha! One of ten on their team. Let's just say, Robards wasn't too happy with them. Ah, it still makes me happy to see the little ferret get pounded by Robards.
I hope everything's going well with you, sweetie. Don't worry about NEWTs. We all know you're going to get an Outstanding on everything. Write back soon.
I love you,
Ro.
PS: Say hello to Ginny, Luna and Neville for Harry and me, would you?
Hermione read through the letter twice more quickly before folding it up and putting in her bag with the rest of her letters. She sighed, pushing the dregs of her tea around the empty cup with her spoon.
It was times like these that she wished she had skipped out on her last year. It was her first, normal school year, with no threats or dark lords. Exactly how it should have been for all seven years. It was strange to not have her two closest friends with her this year.
Despite their insanity, she missed their adventures. Hermione twirled the Head Girls badge on her robes, thinking deeply. Not that she wanted to be an Auror, no. She was going to school for Magical Law Enforcement. Still, the urge to fight and protect had been engrained in her so strongly that it felt strange not being an Auror. All of Ron's letters were filled with details of all the things that he and Harry were learning, and Hermione had to admit she was jealous. She wanted to be there. She wanted to live with them in their flat in London. She wanted to go into training, enter a maze, fight off the other members and dark creatures and come out victorious and go home with her boyfriend and best friend.
Hermione jumped as the bell rang. She hurriedly shoved her book in her bag, swung it over her shoulder and pushed herself to her feet. Practically running to History of Magic, she knew that instead of taking notes, she would read Ron's letter a few more times, already anticipating his next one.