A/N: Alright. Hello guys :D Thank you for reading my story. I'm new and this is my first time to write a story like this. So, if there's anything you don't like, you can tell me. :)
Special thanks to my beta, Kain.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
CHAPTER 1
"Hermione?"
"I'm in the kitchen, Harry!"
Harry walked into the kitchen. The kitchen is like any other muggle kitchen. The kitchen is modern style kitchen with light brown and cream colour. The kitchen has dining area where the table of six placed. There's nothing much on the counter, only an oven and toaster in sight. But the only difference between the normal muggle kitchen is the presence of magic like the dishes washing itself in the sink.
"Hey, Harry. I heard that you have captured the last Death Eater. Congrats!" Hermione greeted her best friend.
"Yeah. Finally, the world is at peace." Harry said as he sat down in front of Hermione.
"By the way, you're back early from work today. Yesterday, you said you've got some paperwork to do for the captured Death Eater. So, I thought you will be quite busy today," said Hermione while making tea for Harry.
"I know you will lost track of time," Harry sighed.
"Huh? What? I'm not. It's only 1..." Hermione looked at her watch. Hermione sheepishly grinned at Harry and said "It's almost 6."
Harry chuckled. "Yeah. It's almost 6 and now I want you to go and change your clothes. I'm here to take you to The Burrow because I know you will keep working if someone doesn't tell you to stop."
"Oh. Alright." Hermione complied and went to her bedroom.
A 'pop' sounded through the late evening. Harry and Hermione appeared and walked to a tall, crooked house. The house was called The Burrow. The Burrow is wizard-built ramshackle multi-story dwelling. Hermione always wondered what magic was used to keep the house from falling apart. But she never asked Mr. and Mrs. Weasley about it because she always forget to ask. Maybe it was one of the questions that should remain unanswered, Hermione thought.
"Harry! Hermione!" Molly greeted as she popped her head around the entrance to the kitchen as they entered the house. Molly hugged both of them.
"Oh Hermione. Look at you. You are so thin. It looks like you have neglected your meal time. You should add up some meat on your body." Molly chided.
"I'm fine, Mrs. Weasley. You don't have to worry about me. I'm taking care of myself rightly." Hermione reassured her.
"Nonsense. Of course, I'm worried about you. You are like my daughter. And how many time I already ask you to call me Molly?" Molly frowned.
"Oh. Don't listen to her, Molly. In fact, I saw tons of pizza box beside the rubbish bin in her kitchen just now,'" said Harry after getting himself a drink in the kitchen. Hermione frowned at Harry, not happy that her way of living was revealed.
"That's because I don't have time to cook for myself. Besides, it's only four boxes," Hermione shrugged.
"And that is why, you have to let Molly take care of you. You barely know the time when you were working. And four boxes means you ate pizza for four straight days. I bet you only eat once a day AND that's only when you felt really really hungry," Harry shot back.
"Well, for your information, I-"
Hermione would argue back if not for Molly cut her off.
"Now, now children. I don't want a fight happen in my hallway. You two are not children anymore. Act like an adult, would you?" Molly scolded. "Now. I want you both to apologize." Putting her hand on her hips.
Harry and Hermione only glared at each other.
"Harry... Hermione..." A warning was heard from Molly.
They still glaring at each other before Hermione sighed. She gave up. She couldn't be mad at her best friend for a long time and she knew that Harry also cannot. He was just being stubborn rather than angry at her now.
"Alright. I'm sorry." Hermione offered her hand.
Harry's angry face broke up into a full grin and accepted the offered hand. "I'm sorry too. Come on, give me a hug."
Hermione complied. When they pulled back, Harry suddenly said, "But you have to admit that I am right."
Hermione gasped before she quickly slap Harry on his arm. "Ow!"
Molly chuckled. They truly act like siblings even though they were just friends. Well, I guess having a close friends for 7 years would do that to you, Molly thought. Especially that they have through thick and thin together, fighting in a war in their young life. Especially that. Molly sighed.
After she put her depressing thought in the back of her mind, Molly tsked as she noticed yet again Hermione's skinny form. "Well then, I just have to make sure that you eat as many as you should today. Now, go to the living room, everyone is here already. Dinner will be ready in a few minute."
"Is there anything I could help with, Molly? Maybe setting up the table?" Hermione asked.
"Oh no, dear. Everything is fine. The boys are taking care of that." Molly smiled and went to the kitchen.
Hermione walked to the living room and saw Ginny with her one-year-old son, James and Lavender who is pregnant for six months now. Hermione also saw an unfamiliar woman was talking to Ginny. Hermione greeted Ginny and Lavender, then, turned to the unfamiliar woman.
"So, you must be Charlie's girlfriend, Rhea? I'm Hermione." Hermione said as she sat down beside the woman.
"Yes, I am. I know who you are. It's nice to finally meet you, the famous war heroine, Hermione Granger." Rhea smiled at Hermione.
"It's nice to meet you too," Hermione smiled though she feel uncomfortable with the title given. Even though, it has been four years that the war end, Hermione still got nightmares on some night. The memory of the war, sometimes the torture that Bellatrix put her through would wake her up. When she woke up sweating, she would drink the dreamless sleep draught. Sometimes, she would stay up, drink tea and read book until dawn, afraid the nightmares would come back if she sleeps again.
"So, how was your dinner date?" Ginny asked Hermione. Ginny knew what Hermione thinks, so she changed the subject. Hermione silently thanked Ginny.
"Oh. I enjoy it. We had dinner in the new restaurant at the Diagon Alley. The food was truly delicious. The wine was amazing too. Now, I know why the restaurant was rated with 5 stars. It is truly amazing." Hermione gushed.
"And him?" Lavender asked.
"Him?"
"Yes, him. The guy you went to date with," Ginny said.
"Oh. Well, he was nice." Hermione said simply.
"Just nice?" Lavender raised one of her eyebrows.
"Yeah." Hermione said.
Ginny and Lavender looked at each other before stared back to Hermione. Hermione flinched at the accusing eyes.
Hermione groaned and said, "Alright! The date was awkward. He was a clumsy person. He upturned another customer's table, for Merlin's sake! He was nervous all the time. He is like Neville. Even Neville was way better than him!" Hermione complained loudly.
"Oh Hermione," Ginny said with, Hermione guessed was a pity look in her eyes.
"No. Don't, Ginny. Don't pity me," Hermione grimaced.
"Well, I'm not. I'm just sad that you are the only one among us, who is not in a relationship," Ginny said.
"Yeah," Lavender agreed. "And it's kind of strange that you are not in a relationship. I always thought you would be the first one to marry or at least in the relationship. You know, with your status as war heroine and the brightest witch of her ages, I think every guy wants to be with you."
"But I don't want a guy to like me just because of my status. I want a guy who like me for me." Hermione said sadly, twiddling her fingers.
"Umm.. Maybe, fate want Hermione to meet all the unsuitable guy before meeting her soulmate," Rhea said suddenly. Hermione was slightly surprised to hear Rhea's voice. She almost forgot that Rhea was there because Rhea was silent during the conversation..
"You believe in soulmate?" Lavender asked with interest.
"My mother always tell stories about soulmates when I was a kid. I believe that everyone has their own soulmate. It's the matter of when they will meet their own soulmate. However, not everyone is lucky to meet theirs," Rhea explained.
"I was wondering. Do you believe that Charlie is your soulmate and you are his?" Ginny asked.
"I would like to say so," Rhea blushed.
"So, back to the topic. How do you know that you have met your soulmate?" Hermione asked.
"Well, you will-"
Rhea was cut off when Harry announced, "Dinner's ready!" The topic was forgotten and Hermione never get her answer.
