Chapter 7

I shivered in Bradley Hollom's arms. The man could kiss! I was pleased to see he was getting more confident.

The three of us descended and joined Arabella in the living room. Ron was silent and didn't exactly look happy. We thanked Arabella, promising to stay in touch and flooed home.

Ron went back to the Burrow, Harry to Potter Mansion and we were home again. I set out to make some tea the magical way, musing at the curious way Bradley watched me perform magic. I smiled and sit down across in.

"What took you so long, Hermione?", he asked.

"Well, I was injured, as you know. And then, they needed all the help they could have, with the injured. I'm quite adept at healing spells. A lot of our enemies, the Death Eaters, who followed Voldemort, a Dark wizard, were caught and the trials began rather quickly. We had to testify, of course." I drank some tea.

"There's more to it, than that." he frowned. "What are Mr. Weasley's intentions?" I nearly choked.

"I don't know what you mean..." I blushed at his scowl. "Oh, alright. When the worst part was over, Mrs. Weasley and Ron started to gang up on me."

"Gang up?", she sighed.

"They think Ron and I would be a great couple, since Harry and Ginny Weasley, her daughter, are sort of together." I could tell he was getting angry, his lips set into a thin line.

"But you won't, right? You don't love him."

"I do love him, like a brother. I can't marry him!" she laughed. "And we argue all the time. I'm a bookworm and he's into Quidditch, a wizard sport. We're too different."

"Yes, different." he said, sadness creeping into his eyes.

"Bradley..." I knew what he was thinking, or at least I hoped so, that we were even more different, and could never work.

"I'm going to bed. Good night.", he said, rising from his seat.

"Wait." I swallowed hard, my stomach twisting at his hurt. "Please don't go." I took a deep breath. "Bradley, I... I mean... Ron and I have... our personalities are too different. I think I could marry a non magical man if we could get along... if he loved me, if I loved him. It's only... all these years, I feel like all I've done is study, work, keeping Ron and Harry from getting killed, and... there was never time for me to... consider other things."

He smiled gently at me.

"Yes, I understand." he sighed, took my hand, kissed it and bid me goodnight.

Alone now, staring at the fireplace, I wondered at what I wanted to do. I had often thought of taking an apprenticeship, Slughorn had hinted at it just this week, and teaching at Hogwarts or perhaps doing research. I smiled, yes it would be wonderful, challenging. I could research as an independent, all three of us had been rewarded by the Ministry. Harry had donated the money to help rebuild Hogwarts, since he had inherited so much, but I was keeping it away. Someday later I'd like to be my own boss, marry, have children.

Where did he fit, though? Did I want him to fit in my life? And how would that happen?

I was Hermione Granger, member of the Golden Trio, and I had faced Death Eaters, I had endured torture at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange, but I didn't want to think of talking to Bradley Hollom about... us.

Ridiculous of me, I know.


I rose early. I took my time, making my bed, taking a shower and shaving, dressing. Closing the door behind me, I listened to the silence of the house and descended. I brewed some coffee and sat on the table, nursing it and thinking on what I would discuss with Hermione today. Surely she could see he could no longer stay idle. He was a grown man, for goodness sake, and she was magical, he was not. He came to terms with the fact that he was not fit to be a sailor, though he liked the sea immensely, but he lacked the hardness and the charisma of men like Lucky Jack Aubrey - Hermione helped him to see that it was no shame to be different, that not all could be the same.

"Penny for your thoughts.", he started, Hermione had sat on the table, across from him, and he hadn't noticed, lost in his thoughts as he was.

"I was thinking of you, and how you changed my life.", he smiled at her blushing. He set his lips in a thin line and told her they had to talk.

"About?"

"Us." she choked on her tea. "Hermione, I deeply care about you. I would court you, but I... I have nothing to offer you except... myself." he paused, "And you are magical, I'm not, and even if I find a job, I am afraid that one of your kind could offer you more..."

"Stop!", she interrupted him. "I understand. I suppose... It will be hard for you, you don't have a lot of qualifications, but a relationship is not just about how much you earn for a living, Bradley."

"I always enjoyed farming, gardening and looking after horses, I know horses inside and out, from my childhood. But I've realized the world has changed a lot, and I think such work might take me far away from you. And if you are going to work with your kind, elsewhere, away from me... I'm not sure how this will work."

"Bradley... we have something called Portkeys." I smiled. "We enchant an object to, when touched, instantly transport a person or several across space. It's a little rough at the beginning, but..." I rose and approached him, taking his hand, "distance is not going to be a problem, if you're willing. Unless you want to get rid of me.", she teased him, shyly.

"I don't ever want to be rid of you, Hermione Granger.", he smiled and both rose to seal their future together with a kiss.

The End.

AN - A short story, but I felt I should end it here. I hope you enjoyed reading it.