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There is nothing much to say about this one, expect that it's from Hermione's POV!

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A special thanks to my betas: Dramione84, Affectiion, kika_kanyume7 and throughhiseyes!

Enjoy,
Kia


3. TEA

Diagon Alley, September 1998


The Leaky Cauldron was rather empty for a Saturday evening. Some wizards and witches were scattered around the tables, some of them together, some alone. Hannah Abbot was bartending, she started to help out Tom after finishing Hogwarts with the intention to take over once the older wizard retired.

Nobody paid attention to the two young men sitting in the darkest corner of the pub, their heads together, two Firewhiskeys in front of them while they were whispering like school girls.

Red hair flashed in the dim light of the dirty lamp as one of the men leaned back at one point, stretching his back before grabbed his glass to down his drink.

The other man looked at him, and green eyes wandered towards the bar, but he decided to wait to order again until the third member of their group had arrived. His black hair melted into the darkness of the corner, shaggy wild locks were pushed deliberately in his face, hiding his forehead and what laid beneath.

He looked around for the person they were still missing but he couldn't spot her, so he leaned forward again, towards the redhead.

"I'm tellin' you, Harry. Something's not right about her," Ron whispered, eyeing his empty glass and then Harry's, which was still full.

They had met for a late dinner in the Leaky Cauldron, and Ron had already told him about the visit in Azkaban, undertaken as part of his Auror duties. They both started Auror training directly after the war, as the Ministry had offered crash courses over the summer so many more Aurors could be trained in a shorter time than usual. A few from the DA had been accepted as well, and they had been a good group from the start. With some Death Eaters still on the loose and the many upcoming trials, the Auror Department had needed all the fresh blood they could get, as fast as possible,and because the course was so quick, they all had been placed in the field already. The Theory could be worked on later, and the Ministry realised they all had had enough practice enough already.

"Who again?" Harry asked confused.

"Uh…you know the girl. She wasn't in our year but her sister was and, uh, she was hot," Ron rambled on and Harry rolled his eyes.

"Great, Ron, just don't give me too many details. I might get too overwhelmed by all this information," Harry said sarcastically before he reached for his own glass and downed it as well.

Ron frowned. "Haha. Her name was Astoria, yes," he grinned proudly, "uhm, Greengrass. Astoria Greengrass. Her sister Daphne was in our year. They were both in Slytherin."

Harry shrugged helplessly. "I can't remember. It's not like I spent all my free time in the dungeons, having heart-to-hearts with Malfoy. What were you doing in Azkaban, anyway?"

"Oh, White called in sick today and Malfoy had a visitation scheduled, so they asked me to cover it. I mean, when they asked us after the war if we wanted to become Aurors, I actually hadn't expected that three months later they already would send me to Azkaban alone. It was rather wicked and Malfoy was even nice. He probably was still in shock that he will be a father."

"You think this Astoria told the truth?" Harry then asked.

"Why would she lie?" Ron looked at him confused.

"The Malfoys come with a lot of money, I guess. They have to pay a few fees here and there, and Narcissa generously donates to Hogwarts and several organisations, but I doubt it makes a dent in their vaults. Maybe she wants to trick him into a marriage," Harry shrugged. "Actually, I didn't come here to conspire about Malfoy and whatever scandal he's involved in, though."

Ron huffed. "Yes, but I'm telling you that something isn't right about that Astoria girl."

"You mean, besides that she slept with Malfoy?" Harry asked.

Ron laughed and Harry grinned smugly when a third voice interrupted them. "You two are worse than gossiping grandmas."

"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed. "Where have you been? We already finished dinner."

"I'm sorry," the brunette said as she fell, exhausted into the chair across from them. She tugged at her cloak and fanned air towards her with her hand. "I was busy preparing everything for my trip." She straightened, keeping her cloak wrapped around her.

"When are you leaving again?" Ron asked, still smirking from Harry's joke.

"Next week, I'll travel by portkey to Sydney," Hermione announced, and smiled at her two best friends. "I hope I will find my parents quickly."

"Are you still sure that we shouldn't come with you?" Harry asked, his face concerned. While he and Ron had been busy learning how to be an Auror in less than two months, Hermione had returned to Hogwarts to help rebuild it and to re-take her NEWTs. Headmistress McGonagall had offered the opportunity to retake exams at the end of July, which Harry and Ron had had to attend as well.

Like them, Hermione had several jobs offered to her, but after the NEWTS, she had decided to travel to Australia instead to look for her parents. Only once she found them would she for a job and start her life.

It was rather uncharacteristic of Hermione, and of course Harry and Ron had offered to come with her more than once, but she said that they should focus on their Auror training and on being finally home. They all had been on the run for too long already, and finding her parents was something she wanted to do by herself.

And, like before, Hermione shook her head at Harry's offer. "No, I want to go by myself. I think I need to get away for a while."

"If you say so," Ron shrugged. "But if you need us, you'll write, alright? No matter what, we will come," he added and Hermione smiled and reached over the table to pat his hand.

"I will," she promised.

"Hey, do you want something to drink? Firewhiskey? Ron and I will get another round," Harry suddenly asked, standing up to go over to the bar.

"Uhm… actually, I would rather have a cup of tea," Hermione said. Ron raised his eyebrows, but Harry nodded and then he left.

"Tea?" Ron asked, sizing her up. "Are you cold or something? You haven't taken off your cloak and it's like, 30 degrees in here."

Hermione gave him a sharp look and he dropped it.

She fluffed up her cloak and pulled it tighter around herself protectively. The movement caused her hair to fall behind her shoulders and the dim light of the pub was enough to reveal the silver shining scar on her neck, reaching from below her ear to the underside of her chin. Ron stared at it for a moment. It still threw him off every time he saw it but then he caught himself and smiled at her.

"So, do you want to hear what I had to do today?" Ron changed the subject and the brunette looked up. "Sure," she smiled.

"I was asked to go to Azakan to supervise a visitation. The Ministry enacted a new rule that Aurors have to do it now, instead of the guards," Ron said proudly and Hermione narrowed her eyes. "They actually sent you to Azkaban?"

"Yes," Ron enthused and leant forwards. "And guess whose visitation I supervised?"

Hermione just have him a look and he continued. "It was Malfoy," he explained smugly.

"Draco?" the witch asked, surprised, and Ron frowned. "Don't call him that, it's creepy."

"It's his name, Ronald." Hermione huffed, exhausted by Ron's demeanour.

Ron waved it off. "Anyway, Astoria Greengrass was visiting him, do you remember her?" Hermione nodded and Ron continued, "she's actually pregnant and Malfoy is the father," Ron said amused.

Hermione frowned. "Are you sure?"

The redhead growled. "Everyone keeps asking me that."

"You only told it to Hermione and me," Harry interrupted as he sat back down in his chair, having heard the last part of their conversation. He had two glasses in his hands and levitated Hermione's tea cup in front of her, placing it down on the table. Hermione smiled gratefully at him.

"I'm just saying," Ron held up his hands. "The girl looked genuine to me."

"I thought there wasn't something right about her?" Harry asked, confused, and Ron groaned, frustrated.

Hermione laughed at their banter, warming her hands on her hot tea cup. She had missed them so much. They all had been busy in the past weeks and it was rather hard to find a free day where they all had time to meet. Especially because showing up in public still caused a lot of attention. Alone it was already bad enough, but if the three of them showed up together, it was even worse. And then of course, Harry was busy with Ginny, and Ron was doing whatever Ron was doing. Hermione didn't even want to know. After the battle, they had decided to stay friends and since they had come to that conclusion, something had been lifted off their shoulders and they had never been as close as they were now. She looked at her best friends smiling before she interrupted their debate. "Like I said, you two are such gossips."

"Anyway," Harry said, shaking his head at Ron, who sipped at his firewhiskey, sulking, "I have something to tell you as well." He looked at them nervously.

"If it involves my sister, I don't wanna know." Ron grunted and Hermione rolled her eyes, slapping Ron on the arm.

"Actually," Harry blushed and Hermione gestured him to go on, "I do plan to propose to Ginny." Harry grinned while Ron grumbled a "here we go..."

"Ronald!" Hermione hissed and glared at him before she smiled brightly at Harry. "Oh Harry, congratulations!" She leaned over to give him a hug as best as she could. "Thanks," he said to her shyly.

"Of course!" Hermione laughed warmly. "We are so happy for you! Aren't we, Ronald?"

Ron just muttered something incoherent in response until Hermione looked at him with a fierce glance. He first glared back at her and then at Harry, who looked at his best friend warily.

"Ron!" Hermione snapped and Ron moaned. "Yes, yes, calm yourself down, 'Mione."

Ron looked at Harry and rubbed the sore spot on his arm where Hermione had hit him. "No wonder you insisted on buying me dinner!" He grinned at last, and Harry laughed, pushing a hand against his shoulder. Hermione shook her head at the two of them.

"At least I didn't spend the evening discussing Malfoy and pregnant women," Harry retorted, and Ron snorted before he clapped Harry on the shoulder in congratulations.

They both were too busy to notice how the colour had drained out of Hermione's face at Harry's words.