Chapter Four:
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This is kind of a filler chapter, I know, but necessary to move the plot along.
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Hermione enjoyed the next few days as best as she could. After much pondering, she decided to allow Narcissa Malfoy to throw her insane wedding.
Before she knew it, Wednesday morning was upon her. She was awoken by an overly cheerful Ginny who insisted on dressing her up and doing her hair and makeup. When Hermione asked why, Ginny simply answered,
"It's your wedding day. I know that it's only going to be you, Malfoy, Narcissa and your parents, but you still want to remember this day, look back and think, I looked great on my wedding day." Hermione just sighed and allowed herself to be poked and prodded.
When Ginny was finished, Hermione had her usually bushy brown hair straightened and sleek. Her usually makeup-free face had different shades of neutral colours on it. She was dressed in a knee-length white spaghetti strapped dress with silver ballet flats. She looked beautiful.
"Wow," Ginny said when Hermione came out, fully dressed in the outfit Ginny had picked. "Malfoy is going to have a heart attack when he sees you."
"Thanks," said Hermione, blushing and tugging at the dress. She went down to the kitchen table at Ginny's insistence, even though she knew that she wouldn't be able to consume any of Molly's delicious cooking. She was too filled with dread.
"You look beautiful," Molly cried, hugging Hermione quickly as soon as she saw her.
"Thanks,"
Molly filled Hermione a plate and placed it in front of her. Hermione didn't eat it, but instead stared at it and poked it a bit with her fork.
"You have to eat, 'Mione," said Ron, his mouth full. "You'll feel better."
"Just because food makes you feelbetter about everything doesn't mean we all can solve our problems with it."
Ron just rolled his eyes and consumed yet another piece of toast.
Ten thirty came and Hermione groaned. "I have to go pick up my parents now. Wish me luck on the...ugh...wedding."
"Good luck!" The Weasley family chorused in unison. Hermione cracked a small smile and disapparated.
"Mum, Dad, I'm here," she called as she entered the house. She entered their bedroom to find her father dressed in a white button down shirt with a tie and dress pants, comforting her mother, who was frantically searching through her closet.
"Mum? What's the matter?" she asked.
"I have nothing to wear!" Her mother cried frantically.
"What's wrong with this?" Hermione pulled out a black skirt and a pink blouse.
"It's not exactly a mother of the bride outfit." Her mother said. "I have nothing appropriate for a mother of the bride."
"Mum," Hermione sighed. "It's just you, dad, Professor Dumbledore, Malfoy's mother, Malfoy and me. It doesn't matter what you wear. Just put that on." Her mother looked a bit uneasy as she put on the outfit.
"Perfect," Hugo declared. "Let's go. Hermione, are we...what's the word? Akkarating?"
"It's apparating dad," Hermione answered, rolling her eyes. "And yes, we are. I'm going to warn you that it will be uncomfortable. You'll feel a lot of pressure and you may vomit when you're done."
"Sounds fun," Her mother muttered sarcastically.
Nevertheless, her mother and father each took one of Hermione's arms and they disappeared with a loud crack, arriving a moment later in Hogsmeade village. The normally bustling village was quiet and empty. Everything was closed as they were still mourning for their extensive losses. The streets themselves were covered in bits and pieces of the Shrieking Shack and Hogwarts Castle. It looked so unlike what Hermione remembered, that she gasped upon entering.
"What?" Her father asked worriedly.
"Oh, I just wasn't prepared to see the village such a mess." Hermione said. "It's normally quite a nice village. It's usually hustling and bustling and cheery. I'm just not used to seeing the place so...dead."
"Is this Hogsmeade?" Her mother asked.
"Yes."
"Why did we come here?" Hugo asked. "Not there." He pointed to the castle up on the hill in the distance.
"We can't apparate straight into Hogwarts," Hermione explained. "It's too protected. The carriage that Professor Dumbledore sent should be arriving in a moment." Sure enough, a moment later, the carriage pulled by Thestrals arrived. Hermione touched the animal's nose softly before climbing into the carriage. Her parents looked bewildered but followed anyway.
"Er...Hermione, dear," Jean asked. "How is this carriage pulling itself?"
"Oh, it's not. I'm sorry, I should have explained. This is being pulled by a Thestral. Thestrals are only seen by people who have seen death. You both haven't seen death, so you can't see the Thestral."
"Really?" Hugo asked, fascinated. "But then..?"
Hermione's parents asked questions the whole way up to the castle. When they finally arrived at the gates, Hermione knew that her parents couldn't see the castle. They saw the ruin that had a Do not enter: unstable sign. Hermione smiled at their confused expressions and continued through the gates. Suddenly, Hugo and Jean's faces changed from confusion to awe.
The castle was almost finished being re-built after the battle. The teachers and ministry combined had managed to use the most powerful magic they could to clean up the mess of a castle. The grounds were still disastrous; trees and rubble were scattered everywhere.
"It's still a mess from the battle," Hermione explained, gesturing to the mess. "But the castle is now pretty much intact. It'll be pretty messy in there, too. I promise I'll show you around when you come for my graduation this year."
"You're going back?" Her mother asked. "So soon after the war?"
"I have to, mum. I need to finish my education."
"But why don't you take a year to recuperate? Get back on your feet?"
"Because I want to go back. I want to get into the real world. The ministry will need more employees soon, as they have lost quite a few, not to mention he death eater ones."
Her parents didn't respond and instead they rode in silence until they got up to the castle's front doors.
They stepped into the entrance hall, which was dirty and dusty, and began their trip to Dumbledore's office.
"Miss Granger!" Hermione heard a voice from behind . "What are you doing here?" It was Professor Slughorn. Hermione sighed.
"Hello, Professor. I'm here for an appointment with Professor Dumbledore."
"I see. And these must be your parents."
"Yes sir. This is my mother, Jean, and my father, Hugo."
"Pleasure." Slughorn said in a jolly tone. "Anyways, I was planning on having one of my dinner parties on the first day of school this year. Would you be interested? Assuming you're coming back."
Hermione inwardly groaned. "Yes, I'm coming back. I'd be delighted, sir."
"Excellent. And Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley would be welcome to attend also."
"Thank you, Professor. I'd better be off, I'll be late for my appointment with the Headmaster.
"Of course, how silly of me to keep you. I'd best be off too, I need Blueberry Leaves picked at exactly eleven o' clock."
Slughorn turned and left Hermione and her parents behind them. Hermione's parents looked at her in explanation.
"My potions professor," she said in response to their unasked question. "He chooses favourites who are famous or talented and invited them to dinner parties in hopes of gaining more famous acquaintances. Harry, Ron and I defeated Voldemort so we are obviously invited." She made a face. "Except the parties are usually dreadfully dull and full of pompous prats."
As Hermione was explaining, they had arrived at the entrance to the Headmaster's office. "Bertie Botts," Hermione said, repeating the password that Dumbledore had written her. "Wizard candy," she explained.
They entered the large, circular room and found the Malfoys already there with Dumbledore.
"Ah, Hermione," the bearded Headmaster said. "Are you ready?" Hermione could only nod. "Very well. Let's begin."
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