Chapter One – TYPICAL

"Typical!" Hermione Granger practically yelled as she threw the latest copy of The Daily Prophet on the kitchen bench. "Not a bloody word!"

"What are you talking about, Herm?" Harry Potter, her best friend and roommate asked, not sure exactly what his friend was referring to.

"Well, it's the anniversary today. You knew that, right?" She asked, almost rhetorically.

"It's not like I'm planning to forget any time soon, is it?" Harry replied, hoping Hermione wouldn't be too angry with his good-humoured response.

"I mean, you would think that they would mention it. But not even a 'today marks the anniversary of the defeat of Voldemort' anywhere in the entire paper. I can't believe it." Hermione was enraged. Harry admitted to himself that it had been quite some time since he had seen her get so worked up. "You would think that it was a little important. I mean, you risk your life saving the world, and a year later, they've forgotten you. It's stupid."

"Herm, honestly, I don't care. At the moment I'm more concerned about making sure I get through all this reading. I would never have guessed University would be so much work." Harry glanced at the pile of books and papers that were scattered over the kitchen table.

"Well, if you would just start the reading when the assignments were handed out, you wouldn't find yourself in such a pickle, now, would you?" Hermione said in a tone that sounded much too like that of a parent.

"Sorry Mum" Harry replied, jovially.

"Shut up, Potter" Hermione replied as she whipped him with the tea-towel she had picked up. "Wonder if Ron is going to surface before noon today." She said, more to herself than out loud.

Ron Weasley had been Hermione and Harry's best friend since their first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and since graduating, and defeating Voldemort, the three had leased a house together. Convenient that they were all studying at Hogford, England's most prestigious magical University. Hermione had rejected offers from leading schools throughout Europe and the United States, not quite ready to leave the comfort and familiarity of her friends. She had begun to loosen up a bit, and was relieved that Ron and Harry had begun to take a more serious approach to their studies.

"He had a date last night, and I was asleep before he got home. Who knows? This is Ron we're talking about" Harry said.

"I was working until 2am, and he wasn't home then. I don't know how he expects to get through all his school commitments if he keeps up with all the other things that he seems happy to let occupy his time." Hermione said, sharply.

"Herm, come on. It was just a date." Harry tried to reason with her.

"I'm not only talking about the date, Harry. It's the Quidditch team, and the Cannon's supporters club, and... ..." Her voice trailed off.

"He'll settle down," Harry tried to convince her, "Eventually he'll find the balance. He always has."

"I know." Hermione said, pouring herself a cup of coffee.

She sat at the table opposite where Harry was working, and picked up her copy of The Quibbler and began to read it. Harry looked at his friend and wondered if she had any idea that she was totally in love with Ron. Knowing her, she probably had no clue. As bright as she was, Hermione wasn't very intuitive when it came to people. She understood even less about herself than she did about people. Harry wondered if she had even entertained the idea that Ron might fancy her. Once again, Harry was entirely certain that she was, once again, completely clueless.

"Morning" Ron yawned as he entered the kitchen.

"Afternoon" Hermione mocked.

"Mione, it's only 9am." Ron replied, not quite understanding the joke that Hermione had been trying to make.

"It was a joke, Ron" she emphasised.

"Sorry, still not awake I guess" he replied as he crossed the kitchen headed in the direction of the coffee pot. Pouring himself a cup, he crossed to the chair next to Hermione and picked up The Daily Prophet. "Anything interesting going on?" He said casually, as he turned straight to the Quidditch section.

"Nothing very exciting." Hermione replied, "The Bulgarian Ministry named the team for the World Cup. That might interest you. Other than that, Madame Malikin has produced a new summer range, Gilbert Goodfellow's new book is being released today, and..."

Hermione's voice was cut off by Ron who had just read something of great interest to him. "The coaches and managers of the English Quidditch Premier League teams are scouting all University games this week. Bugger, we'll have to train extra hard."

"You also have two assignments to do this week, Ron" Harry reminded him.

"Yeah, but this is quidditch, Harry. You know I'd drop out of school in a heartbeat for the chance to play professional Quidditch." Ron said enthusiastically.

"You can't play Quidditch forever, Ron" Hermione said, sounding remarkably like his mother, "But a good education will last a lifetime."

Ron got up, threw the paper on the table, and said "You know, Hermione, it wouldn't kill you to support me, just once," and then stormed out of the room.

"Typical" Hermione said, and, clearing away both papers, headed out of the kitchen.

Harry looked up from his work. His friends were really quite clueless. It would be funny if it weren't so sad. Harry scrawled a note to Ginny, who had just finished her N.E.W.T exams, telling her of the latest update in what they called the Ron & Hermione Saga. The pair were really quite amusing, purely from an entertainment perspective. They were the modern day Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy: they couldn't stand one another, but everyone that knew them knew that, eventually, they would get together. Ginny would particularly enjoy that morning's encounter. Harry smiled to himself as he wrote the note, and wondered why it gave him such pleasure to think that what he had to say would make Ginny smile.