CHAPTER 1
23 November 1998 - London
"Hermione?" Harry called as he walked into her apartment. Looking around he saw, much to his dismay that most of her things had been packed up. On the table lay a parchment, he looked around for Hermione once more before picking up the letter.
11 November 1998.
Dear Miss Granger,
It pleases me to inform you that you have been selected as the newest apprentice to The Wizard. As you are aware the position is most coveted and will offer opportunities far beyond what your mind could possibly imagine.
Your internship with The Wizard – should you choose to accept – will require a firm commitment from you. Please understand that once you accept you will be required to complete the full internship – no exceptions. Furthermore all apprentices will be expected to move to the Wizard's castle as per his law. The Wizard would like to stress that familial contact for apprentices will be limited.
It would be a great honour for The Wizard if the brightest witch of the age accepted his offer of internship.
We await your reply by no later than 17 November.
Our kind regards,
The Elves.
Harry threw the letter back onto the table. It was dated the eleventh of November… all this time Hermione knew and she hadn't said a word. Even now Harry was confused as ever. This was the damned letter that Ron had told him about. Before his anger could get the better of him, Harry pushed forward.
He noticed movement across the loft and saw Hermione packing her books into a box. "Mione what are you doing?" Harry asked worried.
Hermione looked up at her best friend. It was obvious that she had been crying but now she stood red eyed silently packing up her life into boxes. "Oh Harry, I didn't hear you come in."
"Hermione," Harry said calmly, "Ron said that you two had a row… and now the engagement is called off?" he asked hoping that it was all some misunderstanding. "Mione, what happened?" he asked after she didn't say anything. "Come on, you can tell me."
"I… I can't marry Ron." she said slowly taking more books in her hand. Harry reached out and took them from her trembling hands.
"Why not? You love him and he loves you." Harry reasoned. "I know that getting married seems like a scary thing but it's not worth throwing your future away just because you're scared Hermione."
"It's not just about the wedding Harry," Hermione said sighing.
"Oh yes, the apprenticeship." Harry said tight lipped after a moment.
"Ron told you about that?" Hermione asked uncertainly. Harry nodded. "What… what did he say?"
"Not much," Harry said not looking pleased. "Only that you were calling of your engagement because you got a letter from some mystery Wizard offering you a 'once-in-a-lifetime' opportunity to become his apprentice." Hermione sighed running her fingers through her unruly hair. "Hermione what is going on?" Harry begged.
"I can't marry Ron," Hermione started. She held her hand up when it looked like Harry was going to interrupt, "I can't marry him because I don't love him enough to want the same things he wants."
"What are you talking about Hermione?" Harry asked confused, "Ron wants you to be happy. He loves you."
"I know Harry!" Hermione cried exasperated, "I know he loved me and that only makes this more difficult. I know he wants me to be happy, but Harry, its happiness as he sees it. He wants me to be a stay at home mom, and that's not me. Not only is it too early to even be thinking about kids but I want to have a career too!"
"Mione, I'm sure if you speak to Ron about this he'll understand." Harry said trying to soothe his friend.
"Obviously I spoke to Ron about this!" Hermione said scowling at that particular memory.
"And?"
"And he said that if his mother and Fleur can do it and be happy about it he doesn't see why I should have a problem with it." Harry remained quiet as Hermione seethed beside him. "Don't you see Harry? If I don't take this apprenticeship, if I marry Ron instead; I will wake up everyday regretting my decision and eventually hating Ron." Hermione explained.
"But Hermione if you take this apprenticeship, you will lose all your friends and family. You're going to be moving away for Merlin knows how long doing Merlin knows what!" Harry argued. "How can you leave now? We've just won the war! We need you here."
"Maybe that's it Harry," Hermione said softly, "I'm tired Harry. I just need time… alone." Closing her eyes she took a deep breath as she felt Harry stiffen next to her, "I need time to know what it feels like to just be me. I want to know what it feels like to not be needed all the time because I'm clever or because I'm the best friend to Harry Potter. I have to know what it feels like to be just me… without all this chaos."
"Hermione I don't understand." Harry said looking at her with apprehension.
"I don't want to be seen as just 'Hermione Granger – war heroine – fiancé to Ron Weasley'. I want to be known as more than just the brains behind the Golden Trio, as more than just a wife or mother. This apprenticeship is exactly what I need." Hermione explained and slowly saw the anger seep into Harry's green eyes.
"So you're running away?" he asked angrily, "After everything you and I have been through, you're just going to walk out on me now?!"
"I don't really have a choice Harry! Please try and understand."
"How do you expect me to understand this?" Harry asked harshly. "We're supposed to be family Hermione! You don't turn your back on family."
"We are family Harry. I'm not turning my back on you, I just need time alone. Too much has happened and I can't… I can't find peace here Harry." Hermione cried with tears running down her cheeks.
"So it's my fault then?" he asked furiously.
"No! I didn't say that. I'm not blaming you Harry. How could you ever think that?" She asked reaching out to him, but he moved away.
"I don't know what to think Hermione." He said honestly. "You break your engagement with Ron and now you're leaving and you won't tell us with who or where to."
"I'm sorry Harry. It really is not my intention to hurt anyone." Hermione said. "But this is something I have to do."
"Why do you have to leave?" he asked desperately, "There will be plenty of people offering apprenticeships here at home. They would accept you without question!"
"It wouldn't be the same Harry. They would accept me because I'm Hermione Granger – War Heroine, not because I actually deserve it. This apprenticeship is only offered once every fifty years." She said reaching out again to Harry. This time he didn't move away and Hermione took his hand in hers.
"Hermione, you're going to leave your friends and family for some job! I –"
"Let her go Harry," a voice called across the loft. Looking up they saw Ginny standing near the floo looking at them with a calculated expression.
"What? Gin, have you lost your mind?" Harry asked angrily.
Ginny's eyes narrowed in on their intertwined hands but she didn't say anything on that. Instead she said very simply, "No Harry. She broke my brother's heart. Let her go. Obviously she doesn't care very much for him… or us. If she did then she wouldn't be leaving." She crossed the room and walked towards them.
"Ginny that's not true, I care very much for you, for all of you." Hermione said but Ginny paid her no attention.
The red haired reached out and took Harry's hand in hers effectively breaking the grasp Hermione previously had on his, "Harry, you and I know that once Hermione makes up her mind, there's no changing it. If she wants to do the apprenticeship, let her do it. After all, she deserves her own happiness right?" Harry reluctantly nodded. Hermione gave a relieved sigh and flashed Ginny a grateful smile. But it was not returned. Rather Ginny looked at her with little emotion, "I didn't do it for you Hermione. I've come back to ask for the ring my brother gave you." she said plainly, "If you're not going to marry him then you have no use for it."
Hermione gasped but when Ginny didn't say anything further she fiddled the ring from around her finger and held it out for Ginny to take. Instead Harry reached forward and took the ring from her.
"Good luck Hermione," he said sadly, "I hope you find what it is you're looking for."
Before she could say anything further, he stood and stepped through the floo network. Ginny turned to Hermione with a hard stare, "Look Hermione, I don't know what exactly went down between you and my brother. He's really upset about it all… so I think it's best if you don't come by the Burrow for a while. Until you know what it is you want. And if you do choose this apprenticeship over my brother then don't come back. He doesn't deserve to be reminded that he was bested by a job." She snapped and then turned and disappeared through the floo like Harry had done moments earlier.
Hermione was left to the silence of the empty loft. She looked around her as boxes held pieces of her life. She was making the right decision, she had to remind herself over and over again. It was the only thing she had been able to think about since she got the letter. Not telling Harry immediately had been the hardest part, but he would have tried too hard to stop her if he knew sooner.
It would be unfair to marry Ron knowing that she didn't really love him. She had told Harry the truth, she needed time to herself – to be herself without any clause.
The decision was not an easy one to make but with a position so coveted being offered to her, there was no way she could say no.
Hermione sighed as she resumed her packing. She could only hope that Harry would understand in time.
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Taken from: Coveted Chapter 3
A/N: So I've added this on the side so it does not detract from the Albus/Rhaella element of Coveted but I am a Dramione lover and felt this could work well enough as a story told through several memories/flashback scenes. TTT will have only Dramione and will focus mostly on their adventures during their internship with the Wizard. I have cut some flashbacks short to fit within Coveted but here i will upload the whole thing. I do hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you think! And if you haven't read Coveted yet I urge you to give it a try!
xoxo
Immortal Dragon Empress.