Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, just any OCs I throw in.

Dedicated toheartmom88

Obsidian

Chapter 3: Experto Credo, or Trust Me

Harry Potter was of a mind to just leave his best friend, Ronald Weasley, to his own devices and destruction this particular time. But as fate would have it, he had married Ron's little sister…and Ginny wouldn't take no for an answer. Which meant in the dreary, chilled rain of an English fall, Harry was trudging around Ron's old haunts, looking for him.

Harry apparated here and there; Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade, muggle London, anywhere he could think of Ron hiding out and nursing his wounds. He spoke to a few colleagues, more than a few drinking and quidditch buddies, and the odd old flame. Everyone said the same thing: Ron ha decided to end it, finally, with Hermione, he was happy about it, and he'd been pretty scarce since.

"Maggie, you said he'd been pretty scarce. So you've seen him?" Harry asked a waitress at a quaint magical pub hidden away in a London alley.

"No, I 'aven't seen the bugger, but I know 'e's fine, " Maggie spat out; her Cockney accent almost more than Harry could understand. Harry raised a brow. "'E owled, you see. Said he needed some time to do something for 'imself. Don't ken that I know what that is, but I know 'e's not just disappeared on ye."

"Well, what did his note say? Is Pig still here?" Harry asked cautiously. Maggie gave him the eye. "Stupid question that. If you get another owl, please, let me know so we don't keep worrying And if you reply, please tell him his family is missing him, and we'd like an owl ourselves."

Maggie shrugged and went back to wiping glasses. Harry sighed and nursed his ale. He had to keep looking for Ron, because Ginny wanted him back, Molly wanted him back, and Ron had a life that he could not just leave.

"Not like that stopped him," Harry replied to his thoughts aloud before finishing his drink in silence.

It was going to be a long few weeks while Ron cooled off wherever he was.

One of the very few things Severus Snape could thank his father for was the set of rather unique skills the abusive bastard had forced him to learn. Hiding, lying, stealing, the art of disguise and the odd scuffle had made Severus quite sturdy from a very young age, and they were not skills he could even hope to forget.

Once he arrived at Godrick's Hollow, Snape allowed himself to sleep on the dilapadated old couch. It was full of dust and it was obvious no-one had been there in a while, but he knew that Potter came there at least twice a year to clean it up, even if he couldn't bring himself to live in his parents old home. The couch was less than comfortable, and elicited images of Lilly and James Potter. Lilly, Severus enjoyed remembering. James had been his nemesis. Even in death, he had the woman of Severus's dreams, buried not only next to one another, but hastily and in the same grave.

When he was a boy, one of the few things his mother, Eileen Prince Snape, had shared with Severus, was the gift of stories. Ghost stories, faerie tales, histories…anything Eileen could remember or sneak from the nearest muggle library. Tobias Snape didn't hold much stock in the "foppish foolery" Eileen had instilled in her only child.

As he settled back into the couch, Severus growled at the dark. His mother's voice haunted him as he drifted off, leading his dreams.

"A house, especially one as this, my boy…it remembers. Houses are the least likely to forget, so make sure neve to wish ill of the owners, present or past…" Eileen's voice was eery in the crevices of Severus's psyche, and he wondered what the hell she meant.

Hermione woke late Saturday morning, slightly sick to her stomach. She passed it off as having a bit too rich a dinner last night, fresh fish, pungently spiced rice and a decadent pudding from the corner sweetshop had seemed like just the cure for her new loneliness. Instead, she had a food hangover and her mouth felt and tasted like Ron and Harry's quidditch socks.

Hermione made herself a strong mug of coffee the muggle way and grabbe some dry toast before heading into the small room that had served as a study for her and Ron. Now, she could spread out, a desk, an exta bookcase and even a small potions setup made the tiny room seem…

"Even stuffier than when I had to share with Ronald," Hermione groaned. She made a half-hearted attempt to tidy up but gave up when an official-looking owl showed up at her window, tapping impatiently. "Alright, alright. I'm coming."

Hermione grabbed an owl treat before opening the window. The sturdy little owl hopped in, depositing the scroll on Hermione's desk before returning to the ledge, waiting for his treat. She dropped it into his open beak, careful of the quick snap. A gulp and the owl was already back out the window.

"Guess I needn't reply," Hermione mused. She grabbed the parchment and let it unroll from her fingertips.

To one Hermione Granger-

In response to your letter for the application for the requisition of a combination experimental charms and potion license.

The Ministry of Magic, while encouraging the proper use, implementation and experimentation of new or different magic, does not condone any of those actions for the sheer acts. As you have not provided a valid reason – or any reason at all – for your continued studies and trials, we, at the Ministry, must decline your application.

In other words, please cease and desist your trials. Please prepare to process and hand over any and all notations, results and failures upon your next working day.

Have a nice weekend

Mercedes Addelbraun

Hermione tore the paper up and scowled after the owl, which had smartly gotten far far away fom the now angry witch.

"Decline my application? Fine. Tell me I didn't give valid reasoning? Fine. Take my bloody work from me? Blast you, Mercedes Addle-brained," Hermione fumed. She gathered her work and materials together, dumping them into her expandable bag.

Hermione stomped into the living room, threw some flue powder into the glowing fireplace and shoved her head into Harry and Ginny's hearth.

"I'm taking some leave from work to do some…work. I'm going to need a place where I can lay low but get whatever supplies I'm going to need," Hermione said, startling her friends awake.

"Alriight…" Harry said groggily. "Why're you flueing us about it? Could've just owled when you got wherever you're going."

"Harry, she's not telling us she's going…she needs a place," Ginny nudged him. Harry blinked, then nodded as he understood.

"My parents' old place meets those criteria, 'Mione."

"Great. Um, I'll clean up a bit while I'm there, and leave some roses for them," Hermione said gratefully. Harry waved her off. "I mean it, Harry. I'll do it this time. Stay with Ginny through the holidays. I think I'll be there."

Harry blinke, but nodded again. "Trust me, I can do that. Oh, and Hermione?"

Hermione quirked an eyebrow. "Yes, Harry?"

"I haven't found Ron, but I found someone who's heard from him. He's fine, just still buggered. If we hear from him, do you want us to pass anything along?"

"No," Hermione shook her head. "Anything I have to say, or to hear from him, should be done face to face, and privately. Besides, it wouldn't do to drag you guys into our troubles."

Harry smiled weakly and Ginny pointedly looked at her boyfriend, then her best friend. Hermione grinned and popped back out of the hearth. Harry and Ginny flopped back into bed, dozing off as soon as their heads hit the pillow.

Hermione coaxed Crookshanks into her bag last, with a mixture of catnip and salmon bits. She secured her things, locked her flat up tight and laid more than a few charms before killing the flame in the fireplace and closing her eyes to apparate.

Godrick's Hollow.

So there you have it, another chapter down. What IS Hermione studying? And why does the Ministry want to keep her from figuring it out? And just what will happen when the two houseguests, invited and not, collide?

Read, review. Review= dedication….

~LadyKyo