"But mommy! I have to get to practice, it's practically the last
one of the season—"
"—the season started last week, honey—"
"—and I just have to go. I can't just skip it because I have
transportation issues! It's not my fault I can't apparate, or that
floo's broken, or that you never want to ride broomsticks..."
"—I'm not saying it's your fault, but Jane, that's just the way
it is sometimes. I told you, I can't get off work until seven thirty
tomorrow, and everyone else is busy. It's just one practice. As
always, there will be one next week. You'll live, Jane, trust me."
"Can...well how about dad takes me?"
"Honey..."
"No, really, please. I know he'd take me, you know that too.
Please? Let me just ask him...what do you care, anyway, it's just a
ride! Or flooing from his house or something..."
"But...no, it's not the right time..."
"Not the right time? Not the right time? It's the right time
for you to stay at work late, but it's not the right time for me to go
to dad's so he can take me to quidditch practice? Come on mom, that's
not fair!"
Hermione sighed. Why did Jane always end up making her feel
like the bad guy? She supposed it couldn't really hurt...she really
wouldn't have to spend much time with him anyway. She'd just drop
Jane off at his house during her break and let him drop her off a
little later at practice. She could wait in the car outside Ron's
house when picking her up, and end up not having to see him at all.
"O-ok...I gues...ok, well, just...well I'm going to leave it up to you
to call your father and arrange everything. I've got to go finish
some department filing, so I'll be in the study, k?"
"K!" Jane could hardly contain her excitement. She hadn't seen
her dad in over two months now. She half ran, half skipped to the
phone, which she knew she could reach her dad with, as she bought him
one last year.
"Hello? Dad? It's me, Jane."
"Jane! Hey, honey, what's up?"
"Oh, well not much, really...I was just wondering if, well if you
could give me a ride to quidditch practice tomorrow...mom's busy and she
said I could ask you."
"Yeah, sure...of course! Would you like me to pick you up? Or
is...is Her—your mom going to drop you off at my place or something?"
"Oh yeah, well my mom was thinking she would drop me off at your
house during her break...so I would sort of end up spending the
afternoon with you...if that's ok?"
"Ok? That's great, Jane...maybe we can even go somewhere or
something. What time's your practice?"
"Five fifteen."
"Ok, great, well maybe I'll think of something. See you then?"
"Yeah!"
"Ok, glad you called honey, love you!"
"Love you too, dad!"
"See you tomorrow!" Click.