Part IV
For a while now, Ginny's had this idea that the four of us – me, her, Harry and Ron—should go out for drinks with a few of our other ex-classmates. While I was guilty of putting this off for some time, I had this nagging feeling that it would be good for me if I went.
So I rang up Harry's place, and it was three rings before Ginny picked up, her voice sounding decidedly cheerful over the telephone line. She was one of the rare Weasley's that had picked up quickly that you didn't have to yell to be heard over a telephone.
"Hello? Oh, Hermione! How are things?"
Getting through the usual formalities, I twirled the off-white cord around my pointer finger while I explained my proposition to her. There was a short pause before she responded, and I could hear the surprise clear in her voice.
"Really? Yeah, I think that'd be great. I'll let the boys know –maybe ask Seamus and Neville along, yeah," I let Ginny go on about how nice it would be to go out with everyone again, and oh maybe Luna could come too. I smiled; maybe this actually would be good for me.
"Oh, and Hermione?" I blinked a bit at the sudden turn in Ginny's mood –she sounded a tad bit grave.
"Is Malfoy coming along as well?" I could imagine the expression that would be marring Ginny's face had we been in the same room –furrowed eyebrows and pursed lips. I had to hold back a sigh. Although she was generally less prejudiced about it, Ginny didn't approve of whatever was going on between him and I.
"No, Ginny, he won't be. It'll be just us, and whoever you decide to bring along."
"Alright then, I'll let them know." She seemed to be curious, but didn't press any further, and I hung up. Leaning back on the chair I was plopped down on, I let that earlier sigh escape as the events of yesterday played through my mind akin to a motion picture.
Maybe taking a break from Draco would be good for me as well.
After putting the finishing touches on what I hoped was a fairly presentable hairstyle, I leaned over the old, polished wooden dresser and dabbed on some mascara and eyeliner. Maybe it was a bit foolish of me to go the extra mile like this just for grabbing a few drinks, but I wanted to do it nevertheless.
Giving my hair once last glance in the mirror, I pulled on a coat before striding over to the den, and made sure to lock the front door, and used my wand to place in some wards for good measure, ignoring the tightness in my chest.
Redundantly closing my eyes, I let my body reunite with the whoosh of apparition and in a split second, I was standing on the cobble-stoned streets of Hogsmeade, with witches and wizards of all shapes and sizes bustling around me. One witch –a tall woman with a crooked nose (the embodiment of the muggle idea of witches) bumped into me, and shot me a dirty look from under her feathery hat.
Muttering an apology, I meandered along the streets for a while before arriving at my destination, and smiled at the familiar sight of The Three Broomsticks. The sound of happy chatter drifted from within the building, and warmth blossomed in my chest at the thought of draining a good drink.
Pushing past the creaky wooden doors, the smile on my face stretched into a full grin on seeing my friends, all of them at one inky table, seated on three-legged wooden stools. Ginny was the first to catch my gaze and she grinned brightly, waving over at me from where she was seated beside Harry.
The air inside the inn was warm and stuffy and I took off my coat as I walked over, casting a simple shrinking spell on it and shoving it inside my purse. I plunked down on an empty stool between Ginny and Ron and cast my friends a cheery smile; just seeing everyone had brightened up my mood. Ginny had gotten Seamus, Dean, Luna and Neville to come, and Neville shot me a gentle smile.
"We ordered before you got here, you don't mind, right Hermione?"
I shook my head "no" and as if on cue, Madam Rosmerta arrived, her pink lips beaming at us as she levitated over pewter tankards of frothing butterbeer onto our table, a glass of firewhisky in the mix.
When no one else made a move to grab the firewhisky, I reached out for the tall glass and wrapped my fingers around it. Out of the corner of my eye, I spied Harry smiling a little bit too innocently, and resisted the urge to giggle girlishly. I guess I had him to thank for that; Merlin knew I needed the drink.
I raised my glass along with everyone, and the sound of glass tinkling resonated throughout the comfortable inn; mingling with the echoes of laughter.
We all smiled.
"Here's to friendship."
As I let all thoughts of a certain blonde man out of my mind with that first fiery sip of my drink, I felt incredibly glad that I had come.
Sorry about any typos, I'm posting this from my phone . This chapter was a bitch to write because of the absence of Draco to balance things out. I hope it wasn't a complete bore :/ Sorry ._. Wrote this entire chapter rotating between six Galaxie 500 songs, I love them 3
That being said, please please please review, I want to know your thoughts.
-Alistair