Beltane Night
II: Winter Breathe
She was awake before six o'clock, and she fed Crookshanks before sitting at her small table in the kitchen. She wrote out various letters to her old school companions and one specifically to Minerva McGonagall. Hermione made it a point to keep in touch with her friends from Hogwarts now that they only saw each other on occasion.
She hadn't heard a peep from the new Headmistress at Hogwarts, McGonagall, and it surprised her. Dumbledore's death was quick to turn things around in their sixth year, and no one knew how he had been thrown from the astronomy tower. However, Hermione had an inkling that Harry knew what happened to their Headmaster that night. Now Dumbledore's portrait hung inside Headmistress McGonagall's office, and still he spoke in riddles and haikus. McGonagall had written to her about how it drove her mad, when she had a problem Dumbledore seldom gave her advice bluntly.
She promptly sealed her letter and placed it neatly on the stack of other sealed letters. She would have to go to an owlery to send them later. Hermione didn't own an owl and never saw a reason to purchase one, but it could have been a time saving purchase. She simply preferred to use the owls at the Owl Office.
Without a second thought she picked up her mug of peppermint tea and walked across her living room to the back window of her apartment. She often used her fire escape like a balcony; no one questioned her, or forbid her from doing so. Most mornings she was able to step out for a few moments, when she wasn't working on her next books, and she was able to enjoy the view over London.
She sat out on her fire escape her tea in hand and watched the snow fall down to the city below her. The people below her walked through the light sprinkle of snow, and carried on merrily. She only noticed a few of the children who were determined to play in it; they stuck their tongues out and spun around much to their parent's dismay.
She loved living in the Wizarding part of London; she was able to cast a warming charm without anyone batting an eyelash at her. Hermione was finally free to be who she wanted to be—there was no need for pretenses, or to hide.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a pitiful meow coming from her window. Crookshanks pawed at the window sill and his face resembled that of a grumpy old man. His cries became more frantic as he tried to step out of the window and onto the platform.
"Oh Crooks, what are you doing out here, boy?" she questioned him, and pulled him up by the scurf of his neck and cuddled him tight. He had never minded being a substitute pillow, or teddy bear for his mistress. He never once bit or scratched her, but that couldn't be said for her friends. Crooks didn't make a lot of friends at all, and in fact he wasn't well liked among Hermione's friends except for Ginny. Ginny seemed to have a soft spot for the cat, and on more than one occasion she was able to pet him without him freaking out.
Hermione rambled on about what had happened yesterday to Crooks like he could really understand her. She did this every day even though Ginny only lived upstairs; she felt lonely. She had concluded within the first week of living alone that she was a social creature, and she needed to talk to them as much as she needed her alone time.
"Cat lady, what are you doing down there? Are you harassing crooks again?" Ginny called down to her, and Hermione looked up through the grates to see her red-headed friend poking her head out of her window.
"I am not harassing him! He's listening to me ramble because I didn't think you would be up, your highness," Hermione replied, and rolled her eyes as the sarcasm dripped from her mouth.
"Well, I am. Mum won't stop owling me to make sure that we're coming tonight for dinner. Can I come down?" She called down the fire escape.
"Of course, I'll put on another kettle and get the pancake batter ready!" Hermione called up and thrust crooks through the window; he landed on his feet and scampered away towards his nest of toys. It was built from other found objects that he had collected from other flats. Hermione believed he had a bit of Slytherin in him.
She walked through her flat and scratched her stomach gently; lifting up her oversized sweater. Her pajama clothes consisted of a tank top, sweater, and large sweats. Occasionally in the winter months she would sleep in a scarf or put it on in the early hours of the moment; like this morning.
Her hair was its usual bushy self, and she didn't try to fix it in the morning unless she was going somewhere. Trying to control it wasn't worth the hassle if it was just Ginny coming over. She shuffled through her kitchen and pulled out the kettle then put it on the stove before mixing up a pancake batter. This was their thing. Most mornings when it was a lazy day they would lounge around one of their places and eat pancakes in the morning before going off shopping, or catching up on some work that needed to be done.
Ginny was a successful Quidditch player for the Holyhead Harpies so her days off consisted of this and then practice like normally. She was an accomplished Quidditch player, and she took her practice seriously. Hermione was her biggest supporter, besides Harry, and frequently went to watch her.
Hermione watched Ginny come in unannounced, like she always did, and sit down at the table. Hermione charmed the spatula and batter to flip themselves when they were done; she then levitated the kettle to pour Ginny a hot cup of tea.
"So, is Molly harassing you that badly that you had to wake up early?" Hermione asked skeptically. Molly could be crazy, but she had never sent an owl earlier to Ginny than eleven o'clock.
"Yes! You don't understand— I didn't open the window at first, but this owl leaves and two more come back. I let the owls in and instead of reading the letters I toss them out. These bloody owls come back a second time and then a third after I toss every letter—it's like she knows!" Ginny exclaimed, and she grumbled angrily into her tea when she brought it up to her lips. Hermione scrunched up her face and opened her mouth before shutting it again; she couldn't even make an attempt to stick up for Molly this time.
"She loves you, what did the letter say anyway? You did read this damn letter, didn't you?" Hermione asked and placed her cup down then held her hand out for the letter in question.
"Of course I did, those rats with wings wouldn't leave me alone, but I couldn't bring myself to hex them into leaving with the animal rights activist below me; funny right?" Ginny teased and handed Hermione the envelope.
Hermione opened it quickly and straightened out the parchment before examining it. She read a few lines in and her face crinkled in disgust. Hermione noticed Ginny's silence while she read the rest of it and placed it gingerly on the table.
The pancakes had magically made their way over towards them and Ginny began to dig in. Hermione laughed in her head silently, the Weasley's were known for their eating habits. Hermione brought a few pieces of pancake up to her lips; contemplating the letter still.
Hermione finally set her fork down and said, "She really believes that you and Harry won't marry just to spite her? Is she crazy? I can't even cover the part where she said that Ronald and I should be giving her grandbabies by now. I love your mother to death but Ginny is she blind?" Hermione was astonished by the woman's letter. Mrs. Weasley could really be ignorant to everything going around her. She had a set plan on how things were supposed to be, and she didn't steer away from it.
Ginny ungracefully swallowed the pancakes that were shoved in her mouth and took a sip of the tea before grinning at Hermione sheepishly.
"No clue, she's just upset I think because she knows you aren't hers for Beltane. Harry told me she was saying some undesirable things about Malfoy's mum keeping you away from her. She acts like it was a guaranteed thing that you and Ron would get together after this," Ginny laughed. Hermione noticed that they were sat the same way on their chairs, one leg up on the chair with their dominate hand over it.
"It's never a thing, speaking of this though; why didn't you ever tell me about Beltane?" Hermione asked.
"I figured that you would know about it from Narcissa, they have the party every year and I just never put two and two together— I'm sorry Mione," Ginny apologized.
Hermione nodded and waved her hand in the air, "enough of that; don't even worry about it. However, you have to tell me about what you've been going through. I feel as if I'm pretty late in this 'training' that were supposed to endure? I'm not really sure though," Hermione got up from her seat and motioned for Ginny to follow her into the living room. They sat down on the couch with Hermione's book on Avalon between them.
"What do you want to know?" Ginny questioned.
"Why do we even do this? Isn't it a bit— old fashioned," Hermione tried the word in her mouth; she didn't want to say it seemed old period.
Ginny looked deep in thought for a moment before moving on the couch to get comfortable, "It's old fashioned but it's what we do to replenish our magic, and the Malfoy's have the party every year so that everyone comes to celebrate," she stated.
"Replenishes the magic?" Hermione asked skeptically.
"Well Merlin was associated with Avalon, its long gone by now but their religion supported the Mother Goddess. She's kind of like Mother Nature, but she takes care of everything in our world which is why we don't have electricity and things aren't modern; like muggles. Merlin and the keeper of Avalon were friends, Viviane, and through worshiping her goddess we were able to replenish and keep our magic. It sounds strange but it's just how we've always done it," Ginny shrugged at the last part.
"So were linked to Avalon, for sure? Why did it go away?" Hermione persisted.
Ginny furrowed her nose and bit her lip, "well the thing is that muggles didn't like us very much and replaced our old religion with Christianity. Magic was called miracles and if you could do them then you were good, unless you did too many of them, and then they would label you as a demon; a follower of Lucifer. Muggles made the old religion go away, but we practiced it in secret to keep our magic flowing through our veins. That's how magic has survived." Hermione could see the uncomfortable look on her friend's face. Whenever they talked about things like the Salem Witch Trials and violence against magic-folk by muggles, it was regarded as a touchy subject.
"That's horrible, so we practice the old religion? You never seemed like you were very into that," Hermione pointed out. She didn't remember anyone but the Divination's teacher openly talking about the religion.
"Well you never asked, and we didn't know what you were into; it just never came up. Though, I went to the celebration up until puberty. As soon as I was considered a woman I wasn't allowed to anymore. Children of a certain age can attend until they get their period or begin to develop, and then you are not allowed to go until you graduate school," Ginny said, and Hermione listened intently. She needed to know everything about this.
"Okay, so everyone attends and the purpose is to celebrate the Mother Goddess. Children go until they hit puberty, and after graduation is when people may start attending again. That's simple enough but why do Narcissa and Molly have to get involved?" Hermione questioned.
Ginny had bright cheeks at that now. Hermione was curious as to what had caused the blush and looked around but was met with nothing.
"Well the thing is," Ginny coughed ", the Beltane is a coming of age ceremony for witches and wizards, right? It's also the night for love and romance, actually more like passion and lust. It's the night that the Goddess takes the Horned God into her bed, you know; sex," she whispered as if it was a big secret and it made Hermione giggle and cover her mouth.
"So that's why? What does that have to do with us?" Hermione asked.
Hermione watched Ginny rub her arm awkwardly, "it's a tradition that people go into the woods and consummate the relationship. It's a legend that the Goddess takes over the body of her willing vessel and she and the Horned God use them to copulate. It's kind of like a first time thing for Pureblood's," Ginny smiled shyly.
Hermione sat there for a few moments before realization dawned on her face and she opened her mouth to speak and then placed her hand back down on her lap; she was speechless. Her mouth was still open like a fish, and she put one finger up in the air; signaling that she had something to say.
"You mean like we— you and I, are supposed to have sex with others?" Hermione asked skeptically. She wasn't sure how she felt about that, because giving up her virginity in front of hundreds of other people didn't sound appealing.
"No, I mean it's something more than just that. You're becoming one with the magic; it's something that is so pure. If you're a couple you can obviously find that person when the time comes, the Goddess allows that, but it's only if you're meant to be. If you're single then you don't really know who, but you can find out!" she insisted, "I'm doing it, and my mum is making the dress for the ritual. Narcissa will probably be making yours," Ginny told her and picked up her thing of tea again.
"I want to be part of the wizard traditions. I don't know though, aren't you the slightest bit nervous about giving up your virginity to someone you don't know; in front of other people?" Hermione implored. She still couldn't wrap her brain around the idea.
Ginny cocked her head to the side while Hermione fidgeted nervously with her scarf. She couldn't comprehend why someone would want to have sex with a random person and to say it was part of a ritual at that. Beltane was interesting and she wanted to belong and to fit in but it seemed to out there and bizarre for her.
"Oh Mione, it's not in front of people. When the Goddess's Horned God goes to the hunt; the men leave the party, and we go off into the woods. Then one of the men, masked of course, finds us and if we accept it then we may engage," she trailed off. Hermione nodded her head still trying to wrap her brain around this concept, "I know that it sounds barbaric but once you're there, it's just magical. It's the night to fall in love." Ginny quickly amended. It eased Hermione's nerves but not by much.
Hermione looked around the room before leaning towards her friend, "do you have to be a virgin before this?" she asked her.
"Of course not, but it's kind of frowned upon that you engage in these activates before your coming of age; even men." Ginny confessed.
"But at Hogwarts it seemed like everyone was doing something, hell even Malfoy was known as good in bed!" Hermione said, because she was beyond confused.
"Hermione, there are other things you can do in bed besides that. Everyone you think was active was pretty active, just not like that, unless their parents weren't strict. I'm sure the Malfoy's were just as strict," Ginny stated and Hermione could feel her eyes on her. "So, have you ever—done it?" Ginny asked. The grin that was on her face disturbed Hermione, she felt like they were at an old Gryffindor sleepover with Pavarti and Lavender.
"No, I thought about it, but there just never was anyone. After your brother hooked up with Lavender Brown—I guess I just stopped looking. I mean I've been on dates, you know that. I know I've teased you about hooking up with Harry, but no I've never went all the way," Hermione said with her cheeks blushing red hot.
"If we go to dinner early, we can help mum and she can answer some of your questions, I'm sure. We have different initiation rites then guys, but that's all I know— It's all were allowed to know. They treat it like a secret club," Ginny said and rolled her eyes.
Hermione closed her eyes and made a mental decision, she would go through with everything. This was her world, and if she was a pure-blooded witch she would do it. She wanted to experience everything that her world had to offer her.
"Go and lock up, We'll apparates to the burrow after I change and feed crooks for the rest of the day," Hermione ordered and got up from her spot then went into the bedroom without saying goodbye to Ginny. They practically lived at each other's places and saw each other every day. The only time they were separated was when they were at work or asleep.
Hermione went through her drawers throwing and pulling clothes out randomly all over her room in search of her jeans. She was behind on laundry, but finally she found one of her pairs of jeans and slipped them on. She kept her sweater and scarf on; deciding to go as is. It wasn't a party or a big celebration; it was just Sunday dinner with the Weasleys.
Hermione walked over towards her mirror and brushed through her hair then braided it; she would do something with it tonight after she got back home. She put on ChapStick with a little mascara before running out towards the kitchen. She fed crooks in record time and walked out of her house with her purse and coat. Ginny was waiting outside, her Holyhead Harpies team jacket on.
"Ready?" Ginny asked.
"As much as I'll ever be," Hermione laughed and took her friend's hand. She held her wand in her coat pocket and Apparted them to the Burrow. The resounding crack surely alerted the whole tribe of Weasley's that they were here.
"Oh I'll never get used to that," Ginny exclaimed, and held onto Hermione's arm for support. "I remember now why I hate side-along apparition," she groaned. Hermione rubbed her friend's arm gingerly while helping her friend to the house. She had forgotten about her friends aversion to that, they hadn't apparted together for a long time. Normally Ginny came to the burrow before her so she never needed to do that.
"I'm really sorry Gin, next time you can go alone. It slipped my mind," Hermione grimaced, but Ginny shook her head and slowly stood up before they got to the door.
"I'm fine, don't sweat it. I just needed to right myself—there we go, let's go into the lion's den," Ginny teased her and Hermione pushed her back in a teasing manner before both girls walked into the house. There was no one in sight and not a peep of red hair anywhere; it was unusual for the Weasley house hold to be quiet.
"Where did your family go," Hermione whispered the question to Ginny.
Ginny stood in shock, "I have no idea, but could it be an after Christmas miracle?" Ginny said, but Hermione was quick to shoot her a look and elbow her side. Ginny teased her family relentlessly, but Hermione knew that deep down Ginny wouldn't have it any other way.
"Oh, you're here girls! You're early. The boys are off preparing, so it's just us," Molly said rounding the corner. Hermione smiled and greeted the witch happily; hugging her tight. Molly greeted them both and situated them inside of her small kitchen. Hermione was at the table peeling potatoes while Ginny was set up to cut up vegetables for the stew.
"Mum, Hermione here has just found out about Beltane and she had a few questions," Ginny smiled while Hermione concentrated on her potato peeling. She was always embarrassed to ask people things, she was called the brightest witch of her age and she felt the need to prove it twenty-four seven.
"Of course, dear, what do you need help with?" Molly asked cheerily as she started to knead dough for bread.
"I don't understand who this Goddess is or who the Horned God is," Hermione said as quietly as possible, her embarrassment was showing. "I've not read about them anywhere even when I've looked up things about Avalon and Beltane. It just doesn't make a whole lot of sense on how they influence our magic so much," Hermione finished.
"Well the goddess is the mother of everything, even the Horned God. She created him and his job in life is to take care of his people and protect the forest. He was the protector of his people and had a way of wooing women. He was chosen out of them all to impregnate the goddess herself. Most women who are trying to conceive choose this night to try. He's the leader of the hunt, a warrior: if you wish to call him that," Molly said and waved her stirring spoon around as if she was only talking with her hands.
Hermione took it all in and started to understand better; she felt a strange connection to the story. Every time they talked about it wasn't enough for her.
"What about the goddess though, why does she take him into her bed, and what of our magic?" Hermione asked.
"He has become a man and she is rewarding him, it's connected to our magic because Merlin wished it. He was a follower of the old religion and he grew fond of the high priestess at the time. Viviane, she and him could have ruled the world but instead they kept it in balance for the mother goddess. We worship her on this night to unify ourselves with her and the old religion and in return we are granted the gift of magic," Molly smiled and sat down with the girls and let the pots simmer. Hermione understood slightly better than she had before but she made a mental note to talk to Narcissa.
"So we honor her and she lets us use our magic. That makes sense and we celebrate it by doing what she does every Beltane as a symbol of our loyalty," she tested out.
Molly nodded her head with approval, "there you go. Not so hard to understand, now is it?" she laughed. Hermione nodded her head and finished up the rest of the potatoes.
"I think it's lovely, we get to celebrate something new now and as adults. After the children go to bed is when the real party starts," Ginny smirked at Hermione.
"Ginerva Molly Weasley, there will be no crude talk in this household," Molly snapped at her daughter who just snickered.
"Who's being crude mum? It's not us is it?" George asked and walked into the kitchen. Fred was close behind him. Hermione waved at them and soon Ron and Harry had joined them all in the small kitchen as well.
"Your sister here is explaining some things about Beltane dears, she just doesn't realize how improper her meanings are," Molly shot a glare at her daughter and Hermione laughed.
"Ah Beltane, do you remember George, how lovely that was? The hunt was spectacular that year," Fred laughed and pushed his brother.
"Oh it was wonderful; it's a shame that it wasn't good this year. You barely got your set of horns little brother. Harry here did better than you and he didn't even grow up with it!" Exclaimed Fred and Hermione watched them prod and tease Ron.
"It was a bad season" He muttered under his breath.
"Harry did you really do good? Oh I'm so proud darling. Ronald you will be fine, no one will know it's you anyway except the men and you can handle some light teasing. Now out with all of you. I have a lot more cooking to do!" Molly ushered them all out of her kitchen.
Ginny grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him towards the stairs, "Come on you guys, we'll have a bit of a talk in my old room," she told Ron and Hermione and they followed her up the steps too her old room. It was still how it used to be and they settled on the ground next to her bed with a small table between them.
"So what are these horns for?" Ginny asked when they settled in. She radiated with excitement, Hermione thought it must be because this was something that they looked forward too. It was something that was like the muggle-equivalent of getting a driver's license or prom.
"Well, we can't say much but it's to symbolize that horned god guy," Ron groaned when Harry spoke, "Ron's just a bit upset because the stag that he hunted had small horns and it was the only one he could get," Harry chuckled and nudged his friend. Hermione felt a bit of sympathy for her friend but pushed it away after thinking of what he had said yesterday.
"So you wear horns on your head?" Hermione asked, it was a bit of a disgusting thought that they would have to wear a dead animal's horns on their head.
"We wear the skull in parts actually, Dad took us out this year and that was our mask and what we wear to Beltane at night. It's pretty old fashioned clothing that we're supposed to wear but it's about going back to your roots. We wear the animal skins as pants and make our mask out of the skull and horns. It's magically charmed to stay on and stay up right," Ron explained and reached under Ginny's bed and pulled out his deer skull.
"What is that doing under my bed!" she yelled.
"I was embarrassed and it kept looking at me," he admitted, "but it's magically charmed to feel like nothing, some blokes have huge antlers. You should have seen some of them," Ron sighed.
"Mine are pretty big," Harry teased and it made Hermione snort.
"Oh leave him alone, he's going to have to explain to his maiden why his horns are so tiny anyways," Hermione ribbed and lay down on her stomach.
"Oi, I resent that. What are you girls supposed to do anyway, it seems like you have no work to do. We've been preparing ever since last year," Ron asked.
Ginny looked over at Hermione and Hermione shrugged her shoulders, "We make dresses and we have a lot of potions to brew if you must know. Don't forget we're the ones who go daisy picking and make most of the wine and food," Ginny pointed out.
"Is Mrs. Malfoy helping you," Harry asked.
"Yeah, she said that she would step in for me since she doesn't have a daughter of her own. It was really sweet and she said she would explain things better tomorrow. She wants me to be involved with all of the setting up as well so I can really get a firm grasp on what it means," Hermione said excitedly. It was the first time she heard herself sound excited for this.
"That's wonderful! I'm glad she's helping, even if it is Malfoys mum. I've seen him and his dad on the hunting grounds. He's like a drill sergeant, I'm glad Arthur is pretty lenient with us," Harry laughed and Ron nodded along.
"Oh, maybe dad needs to be stricter with you both. I'll be sure to let him know," Ginny responded.
"No way, you should see the things that Malfoy has to do. His father makes him do running exercises through the forest and they practice archery almost every day I hear. He also makes him run around shoeless through the forest and sets up traps for him. He's bloody mad if you ask me," Ron scowled.
"You do realize that everyone is bare foot for this so he's toughening up his feet, you might want to try that," Ginny laughed at her brother.
"Narcissa just like's to have traditions, she was really excited about this one. It's nothing bad that they want to do things properly Ron," Hermione huffed.
"Yeah well as long as I don't have to do it then I'm fine," He replied.
"You don't like to do anything more than you have to though mate, you've got to admit that," Harry added in.
The group stayed like that for a while, the tension from earlier was fine and Hermione was able to laugh and joke around with her friends once again. She was excited by it all now and even as much as she was nervous; she became giddy with excitement when talking about it.
"Boys, Girls, it's time to come down! Hermione you have a letter here as well but the owl won't drop it!" Molly called up from the bottom of the steps. Everyone sprinted to the doors and they sounded like a herd of elephants running down the steps.
"A letter?" Hermione questioned and looked around for the owl.
"Yes dear, he's in the kitchen. Run a long and come straight back we don't want dinner to get cold and the twins actually washed their hands this time," Molly smiled and pushed her towards the kitchen. Hermione went inside and saw Bubo Bubo standing the window sill. The letter was tight in his mouth and if Hermione wasn't crazy she would have thought the owl looked relieved to see her.
"Oh come here Bubo," she said softly and coaxed the owl inside. He flew to her instantly and dropped the letter in her hand, staying on her arm.
She opened it gently as the owl made its way up to her shoulder, as if he wanted to read it over her shoulder.
Granger,
Mother has requested that I tell you our floo will be open tomorrow morning at eight sharp. You should feel free to come then but if you want to sleep in you can come later but no later than ten. Something about the holiday, it needs preparation. Granger, she's excited, more so than I've seen these past couple of years and I'd hate to see her disappointed. If you tell anyone that I actually suggested you come here I'll deny it.
D.M
"Well your owner was very nice, here let me get you some owl treats Bubo," Hermione baby talked the owl and quickly gave him his treats and sent him on his way. She shoved the letter into her purse and went back out to the dinner table: all eyes on here.
"Is everything alright dear?" Molly asked.
"Yes, It was just from the Malfoys, Narcissa is expecting me tomorrow," Hermione said politely and took her seat next to Ginny and Harry.
"How are they Hermione? I haven't seen Lucius at the Ministry for quite some time." Arthur asked cordially. There was no mistake that Arthur and Lucius butted heads on everything considering that Arthur was fascinated with muggles. Hermione believed that Arthur always had the better head on his shoulders and would be cordial unless provoked unlike his sons who got their temperament from Molly.
"He's doing well I hear, him and Malfoy are running their company together and I hear that they are very busy. I know his work as a curse breaker is still important though. The minister must have given him some time off," she replied and started to put food on her plate. She didn't realize how hungry she was until she started to eat some of the turkey that Molly had cooked.
Ron snorted at that ", yeah probably permanently," he laughed then shut up when Hermione shot him a warning glare.
Molly quickly intervened, "so dear, will you be needing anything, a mentor maybe for Beltane?" Molly asked quickly.
"Oh no, Narcissa has asked to be the stand in matriarch for me, but thank you for asking. I know she doesn't have any daughter and I think it would be great for both of us," Hermione smiled and took a sip of the butterbeer she got.
"Oh, Narcissa got to you first I see, shame. I will still help of course—anything that you need dear, you can always ask me," Molly threw in, and Hermione could feel part of her anger because her husband and Lucius disliked each other. She and Narcissa disliked each other as well and maybe Molly more than Narcissa from what Hermione had gathered.
"I appreciate that—"
Aroo
Hermione's head snapped towards the window when the noise happened again, a wolf had never been close to the burrow before. "—what was that?" She asked.
Aroo
"Love we need to cut this short, boys go get your gear and we need to be off," Arthur said shortly, and kissed Molly's cheek before walking out of the front door. Hermione got up and walked over towards the window and peeked out. The forest trees rustled and she saw some bushes shake, she could have sworn she saw a wolf patronus. She walked back and sat down on the bench. Harry and Ron had already left with Arthur and it was just the twins left.
"What was that all about?" Ginny questioned.
George and Fred shared a look before George spoke, "we have to go when the Goddess's pet calls, it means it's time to practice the hunt. She's sent targets out and it's our job to follow her commands. It's only for the month before Beltane. It's her hell hound: he's like her sign of saying she's friends with death essentially," George explained, and took a big bite of his food. Hermione was right, the Weasleys really could eat.
She watched as the family continued to dine together, and she wondered why she felt like an outside here. She had grown up here with them as well as befriended them. Molly approached her a few times about the subject of her and Ron during the dinner but Hermione laughed them off. She felt like a foreigner for the first time in a long time. It didn't sit well with her and after dinner she disapparated back to her flat without Ginny.
She just wanted to be home, but even the empty flat she didn't feel like home.
/Thank you for the support! Thank you to the Reviewers and for those who PM'ed me and asked questions.
This is an AU; the war has not happened however there are some events that have still occurred because I believe no matter what some things are just meant to happen. Throughout the chapters she will be revealing more about school and things that happened. Also those who left me constructive criticism, thank you so much because I want to improve.
