A/N: Here is a new story that will ultimately be Theo-mione. I hate to put it so blatantly, but if you thought you had to wait awhile for updates on one of my other stories, you haven't seen anything yet. This will be longer in between updates because I only have a few chapters ready so far. It is a story I've spent over a year researching myths and folklore for, and it will be a very involved plot. I hope you enjoy it, and please let me know what you think because it has taken quite some time already just to prepare for it. Without further ado, I give you chapter one of The Union.
It was a blustery day, and Hermione Granger was currently navigating the streets of downtown London, swiftly making her way toward the Leaky Cauldron. She was supposed to be meeting her best friends Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley for one last drink before her return to Hogwarts the next day. She'd made Head Girl, little surprise there, but the dynamic duo weren't going to be returning at all. They'd be on their way to begin Auror training the day after tomorrow.
The Muggles on the street didn't even look at her as she disappeared from sight into a door completely invisible to their eyes. She stepped into the first part of the wizarding world that she'd ever seen beyond Professor McGonnagall's small bit of magic when she dropped off her letter of admittance to Hogwarts. It was a bit like coming home for her.
She'd had to modify her parents' memories to hide the fact that they had a child during the great wizarding war, and she had little regrets. That is until after the war when she realized that she couldn't live with herself leaving them in Australia, completely oblivious to the wizarding world. It took nearly two months to reverse the powerful memory charm she'd placed on them, and not once did she get to see anything to do with the wizarding world the entire time. Her parents were now back to living in their old house in London where she'd stayed the last few weeks with them.
She was wearing jeans, a white blouse, neutral suede boots, and matching cap, carrying her beaded handbag. She looked around the pub, taking note of the ever present shady characters sitting alone in the back corners, the musty smell that assaulted her senses and seemed to never go away, and the gruff looking bartender wiping down the grimy bar with an even grimier cloth. It was while she was standing there taking in the familiar old Leaky, that the floo over by the stairs activated and a young man with black hair stepped out.
"Mione!" The boy-who-lived ran over and hugged his best female friend.
"Harry!" They were both grinning like buffoons when a red-head tripped out of the fireplace and landed in a heap on the floor. The two just laughed at their third companion as he struggled to get to his feet. Eventually, Harry took pity on him and gave him a hand up. "Honestly, Ronald! How do you expect to be an Auror when you can't even stand on your own two feet!"
"Nice to see you too, Mione," Ron grumbled as he managed to catch his feet.
"Let's have a pint, yeah?" Harry walked over to the bar and ordered three fire whiskeys and three butterbeers. Hermione picked the least filthy table and the boys followed suit, sitting opposite her. Their drinks floated quickly across the room to be set down before each member of the golden trio. "To new beginnings!" Harry raised his glass of fire whiskey, the other two mimicking this movement.
"To new beginnings!" They chorused together, tossing the drink to the back of their throats. After a few coughs disguised as throat clearing, the three settled in to chit chat.
"Are you excited about being Head Girl, Mione?" Harry was always the one to drive the conversations.
"Of course she's excited, mate! This is all she's wanted since first year!" Ron laughed at his own statement. Hermione looked uncomfortable.
"Well, um, yeah. I guess." She shifted in her seat, taking a sip of her butterbeer to keep from having to look at her friends.
"What does that mean, Mione? You guess?" Harry was a lot more observant than people gave him credit for. He could see right through her.
"It's just that—" Hermione was cut off by the clueless red-head across the table from her.
"What, Mione? Rather be Minister for Magic now?" Ron laughed again. Harry took a moment to wonder why his best friend couldn't see that something was bothering the woman he thought of as a sister. Hermione had stayed by his side throughout the war, even when Ron was so quick to turn his back on the both of them.
"What is it, Mione?" Harry was looking directly at her now, needing to understand what had changed her, as it was clear something had.
"It's just... I'm not sure. I don't feel like myself. Haven't, really, since I turned eighteen." She looked at the wall beside Harry's head. She wanted to see his reaction, but also didn't want to look him in the eye.
"Mione, you turned eighteen while we were on the run." Harry was confused. He must have missed something. Hermione sighed, she was defeated.
"I thought that the stress of the war was what was causing it." She slumped down into her chair.
"Causing what exactly? What have you been feeling?" Harry was starting to pick up on something that Hermione had managed to hide for almost a year now. She tried to laugh it off, thinking that maybe he'd just drop it until she was sure herself what was going on.
"Oh, Harry! Just ignore me! I'm sure it's nothing." She forced a smile, hoping to disarm her best friend from thinking too much. She should have known it wouldn't work.
"Okay, Mione. Whatever you say." Harry drained the rest of his butterbeer and stood to leave. Hermione knew that it was too easy and he would want to talk to her one-on-one without Ron. Soon.
"Well, have fun with your training." She actually succeeded in sounding cheerful, she really was happy for them.
"Will do, Mione. Enjoy your last run at Hogwarts." Harry had a sad, faraway look in his eye at the mention of one place he had ever called home. Hermione was sad for him, but he made his choice and now he had to live with it.
"See you, Mione!" Ron gave her an awkward one-armed hug which she halfheartedly returned before he disappeared through the floo network. Harry smiled once again as he hugged her tightly to him.
"Don't think that this conversation is over," he warned. She actually grinned at that.
"Never thought it was." The two separated and went their own ways; Harry to the Burrow with Ron, and Hermione on a walk through Diagon Alley. It was as good a time as any to pick up her school supplies. With a sigh, she checked her bag before trudging to the back of the pub, tapping a few bricks to open a doorway, and stepping into the wizarding world.
A/N: Please Review. This one is going to take some motivation...