Chapter Four- Figuring out what to do after seven years in magic school and wanting to live as a muggle again.
Hermione walked into their flat one day to Harry fiddling around on the computer she had brought over.
"Come here, come 'ere quick!" Harry called her over excitedly.
The solitaire cards were all flying across the screen.
"Yeah?" Hermione asked confused, before it dawned on her. "You've never played solitaire before?"
"Not on a computer, this is amazing!"
Hermione laughed, "I guess where you went to primary school they never really got into computer's yet, huh."
"I'd only used one a few times before you brought this one."
"Enjoying the internet?"
"Yeah! Luna emailed me."
"Luna Lovegood?"
"I was surprised too. The Quibbler even has a website, look."
Harry brought up the page.
"Wow, is that legal?"
"They figure that there wacky enough that any muggle that stumbles across it will just think it's a joke."
"Wow, so their not entirely serious with everything they print?"
"I guess. Do you know how to take the necessary exams or is there a way to make wizarding records muggle.. Well I suppose I have to take N.E.W.T.S. for that, damn there goes my idea."
"Why do you ask… I've been wondering the same thing. The ministry is also setting up independent testing sites all over the British Isles for the Seventh year students who's year was interrupted. We can go take them there."
"Excellent, when?"
"Just have to send in this parchment, I received a copy by owl post the other day when I was out. Lucky I was in the middle of a park or someone would've thought I was barmy." She pulled out her wand and replicated the parchment. "Here you go, Harry. I'll turn them in if you like, I'm going that way tomorrow. Lunch with Neville."
"Cool. How is Neville doing?"
"He's going into the Auror Corps."
"Really! I thought he loved his plants too much for that, but then again he sure has found a knack for defense the last few years."
"You sure wanted to be one fifth year."
"Only because I thought that was all I was good at. I'm sick of fighting the dark side." Harry laughed.
"Star Wars pop in your head?"
"Yeah."
"What is it that you want to do?"
"I'm thinking of applying to university."
"Really and go into what?"
"Not entirely sure," Harry shrugged, "I have the resources to take and discover whatever I wish so I'm not going to worry about that."
"Lucky bastard, I'll be drowning in student loans."
"I can help you out."
"We'll see when I get there, that's only if I decide to go to graduate school or out of Europe."
"That's true, it would be fun to travel the world. We could do a year abroad. Heck, we could just move abroad and explore."
"Do you have a passport, Harry?"
"Not yet, but I applied for one already."
"You sure are on the ball now. Why weren't you ever like this in school?"
"I suppose Ron and Voldie."
"True, Ron isn't the best influence when it comes to studying or getting anything done, great if you want to escape that for a bit. He is rather distracting from work, how is he ever going to hold down a job?"
"Well, for him I'm betting something in Quidditch or the family joke business, if George'll have him. Never know he may surprise us all some day."
Hermione laughed at that, "Anything you're interested in trying out?"
"Art History."
"Really?"
"Yep, I know pretty much as far as you can go from Hogwarts and there curriculum, but I've been reading art books from the library the last few weeks."
"I guess you really did enjoy the museums!"
"I did! What are you thinking about studying?"
"Law, or something in the humanities, not entirely sure, nothing in the sciences since Hogwarts pushed us much too far behind on those. Possibly Classical Languages, I have a fairly good knowledge of Latin now, and some runes, so we'll see."
"Hermione Granger the Anthropologist, or something similar?"
"Perhaps."
"Maybe you should talk to Bill Weasley about some of the hieroglyphics he had to translate in Egypt.. Or did he not do that only the curse breaking, would he have to know what's written to know what to break?"
"So perhaps I should join Gringotts?"
"If that's what you want."
"I've never seen you this relaxed, Harry, its amazing!"
"Why thank you, now go read a book so I can keep playing this bloody addicting game."
"Hey, I wasn't going to read a book! I was thinking about making us dinner, you prat."
"Is it that time already?"
"Sure is."
"What're you making?"
"Pasta."
"Is that all you know how to make?"
"Pretty much." And they both laughed.
"Maybe we should take some cooking classes?"
"Probably a good idea if we want to live on something besides pasta and eggs."
"We are better at breakfast foods then dinner, how did we end up being the two people who can make wicked breakfast but shitty dinner?"
She shrugged and pulled out the ingredients from the refrigerator and cupboards.
"Is there still pasta sauce in the fridge or freezer?" Hermione called to Harry across the room.
"Should be in the freezer, just defrost it in a pot of boiling water."
"I know. Maybe we should invest in a microwave?"
"We don't have the room, dear." He said offhand moving onto the book he had been reading before getting distracted by solitaire.
"Dear?"
"I don't know, Do you need any help?"
"I'll let you know if I do," and they both went back to what they were doing.
AN: I'm working on maintaining a chapter cushion, I have about three chapters beyond this one done so far, will put another up after I get another written, or not.. Not sure how much I'll get out during the week, internship later today, work T/Th.., putting up a new show this week (I have work study at the campus Art Museum), plus dealing with my new illness (well finally have some help to get it treated before it gets worse then it is) that I have to get to the Doc's to find out exactly what it is and start treating it. I'm also tossing around new painting ideas, so if I get going on that chapters beyond the three, will probably be delayed (I'm a painter), I just finished one this morning, want to utilize as much time as I can in painting this summer since I won't have the time during the school year. Thank you for reading! -ears.