My well of inspiration is not dry, no matter what you might think. I have multiple projects going.
On with Hermione's story!
- xHx
Hermione groaned, rolling onto her side to switch off her noisy, buzzing alarm clock, sitting up. Her expression spoke of disappointment as a tear streaked thinly down her left cheek. She'd been dreaming of him again.
To make matters worse, today was the day.
The moment Hermione had returned to her childhood home, she had discussed the events in Middle-earth with her parents and told them what she knew would have to happen. In an effort to protect their safety, she would have to wipe their memories. They'd made an agreement. She had finally completed her preparations. It was time.
Once showered and dressed in a pale woolen jumper and jeans, she pulled out her beaded bag, opening it and extracting a square box, two inches deep and nine inches on all sides. It was covered in ivory satin, with a silver clasp, which she lifted slowly, carefully, savoring the moment.
Once its lid was lifted, she was greeted by a surprise.
Two circlets, one just larger than the other, sat nestled in the soft velvet that covered the interior of the case. The smaller was her. The larger was, if she was not mistaken, the very same one Legolas had worn at the council. In the center were two things; a vial from her potion kit containing a lock of his hair, and a folded note. She picked it up and unfolded it.
Hísiven, n'uir thiad lîn 'ell. Avo dhavo am môr, avo drasto. Raitho en glass. Brennil vell. Oltho vê na lû ir a-goveninc. Novaer, Legolas,
With a short laugh, she placed the note back in the case, closed the lid softly, and returned it to her bag. He had given her something to hold on to. More than just memories, something physical. He had given her a token of affection.
If her memory served (which it always had), then according to the scrolls she'd located in Rivendell, this custom of the Elves – her people – was one of the ways they showed their love. They believed that marriage was based in true love, and as such would not give things like this lightly. He believed in her.
Pulling a memo pad and a pencil from her nightstand, she jotted down a short note.
Stop at Deanne's for a new locket.
She then tucked the pad into her pocket, opposite her wand, gathered up her bag, and left her bedroom. The familiar stairwell was depressing and empty, all photographs of herself and her family having been taken down. They were all in boxes in the lounge, waiting to be sent to their own safe place.
Jeanette Granger, the woman Hermione had called her mother for eighteen years, was on the couch in the sitting room, her husband Robert at her side. They ate from paper plates, as their ceramic dishware had already been boxed and placed in storage. Another plate sat on the coffee table, for Hermione.
The petite brunette sat down on her mother's other side, laying the envelope in her left hand on the table and picking up the plate. "Everything you will need is in that envelope; passports, identification cards, driver's licenses, health records, educational records, a marriage certificate, and airplane tickets."
Jeanette nodded, smiling at Hermione before she asked, "Can't it wait until after breakfast has been had?"
"We should discuss it first," Hermione said. "You will be unaware that you have a daughter. This is for your own protection. Your name is to be Monica Elizabeth Wilkins, Mum – your maiden name remains the same. Dad, you'll be Wendell Anthony Wilkins. Of course, you won't remember this discussion."
The couple nodded, each taking a bite of their breakfast.
"When the spell is done, who are you to be?" Robert asked.
"You will not know me. I have yet to decide how I will explain my presence to you. It may be that I will claim I am your housekeeper. That seems to be the smoothest route to take."
"And, you will come to find us after you've saved this world and remove the spell…won't you?" Jeanette asked.
Hermione nodded, not wanting to speak. She feared her voice would reveal that she was unsure she would be able to come after them. Aside from the fact that she would be unsure of where they'd be living, except that it was in Australia, she did not know of an easy way to restore memories.
When they had finished eating, Jeanette leaned against Robert as he lay back against the couch, wrapping his arms around her. The pair closed their eyes. Hermione walked into the lounge, extracting her wand. She had learned after Dumbledore's funeral that there were thousands of ways to access the other realm; she simply had to speak the right words. Usually the right words were in Latin. She knew there was only one person she could trust with her photographs was her sister, Arwen. As such she had penned a spell in Latin to send the boxes to her bedroom in Rivendell.
Twirling her wand gently as she spoke, she whispered, "Ego te ad Rivendell ut amet soror, Arwen. Inveniret in ipsa domo." With each word spoken, a faint blue nimbus surrounded the boxes, slowly obscuring them from view. At the last word, a faint whoosh sound was heard and the blue light vanished, carrying the boxes to their destination.
Hermione nodded slightly, smiling in satisfaction as she returned to the sitting room, raising her wand again. This would be harder, yet easier.
"Obliviate."
Rather than hang around, Hermione tucked the beaded bag into her jacket pocket and started walking. Wendell and Monica Wilkins did not need to have a housekeeper left behind.
Ginny sat near the gate of the Burrow, brown eyes fixed on the horizon. She waited for some sign that Hermione was on her way. Instead, she was first greeted by Luna Lovegood.
"Hello, Losírë."
"The same to you, Nartaurë," the blonde said, winking a wide blue eye. "Waiting for Hermione?"
"Of course, Luna – who else would I be waiting for?"
"She'll be here soon. I watched her leave." She lifted the orb gifted to her by Lady Galadriel from her pocket. "It's very useful, but…I've been trying to watch Frodo and Sam…and it starts to glow slightly before its sight is drawn into the Great Eye."
"That is both good and bad, Luna. It means they're close to their goal," Ginny replied. A whirling shape in the distance drew her eye. "That's probably her."
Hermione trekked up the hillside toward the Burrow, tightening her jacket slightly in the faint breeze. She could see Ginny and Luna at the gate, could see a small glass orb reflecting sunlight as it rested in the latter's hand, could see the glimmer of the former's brilliant red hair. She knew they could see her, too, if only as a silhouette on the horizon.
The brunette broke into a run, practically flying up the hillside to join the two girls. As she rammed into Luna, the blonde wrapped her arms tightly around her.
"I'm so sorry for what you had to do," Luna said. "Erasing your parents' memories like that…I could never have done it."
"They aren't my biological parents, Luna. Remember?"
"That doesn't change the fact that they raised you. In that sense, they'll always be your parents. Elrond did not raise you."
Hermione nodded, climbing over the wall into the garden of the Burrow.
"Dad's been asking about you. Both of you, actually," Ginny said, extending a hand to Luna.
"Then let's get that over with."
And there you have it – the true first chapter of A Diamond Heart. I cannot wait until the next part comes to me.
Love to all my faithful readers.
- xHx
PS; the note translates to; Hísiven, ever is your presence a joy. Don't yield to darkness, don't worry. Try to be happy. Beautiful Lady. Sweet dreams until next we meet. Farewell, Legolas.
