Chapter 10
We stay a little longer. Her parents keep asking for details about everything that happened and what is going on right now.
"I'm so proud of you." Mr. Granger says when Hermione explains what she intends to do once she gets the results of her N.E.W.T.s. "I'm just a little bummed that you chose a completely magical career."
Hermione bites her lip. "Actually, Dad... I was thinking about going to law school." Her father looks radiant.
"It will be a long shot, because first I have to take the muggle exams and it has been years since I have properly studied those subjects. But a muggle law career could be very beneficial for the work I intend to do." She muses. "I am a witch and I can't change my connection to the magical world, but I don't intend to completely separate myself from the muggle society I was brought up in." Mr. Granger smiles and his wife looks completely delighted.
Mr. Granger scratches his chin. "And what are we supposed to do now? Should we go back to England?" He looks at his wife, then at her daughter.
Fleur can see it puzzles Hermione. She didn't consider her parents would want to keep living this made-up life, that they would be also happy here. "I guess you can stay here, as the Wilkins, if you prefer it?"
"I don't know, sweetheart." Mr. Granger shrugs. "We haven't made up our minds or anything. But our lifes here were actually quite good and now that we don't ignore we have a daughter..."
"Thomas, sweetheart, everything and everyone we have ever known are back in England." Mrs. Granger says and he looks a little surprised that they don't quickly agree. "We have to discuss this..." She looks at her daughter for help.
Hermione worries her lip. "I... I don't know what to tell you." She shrugs. "I sincerely didn't expect you would want to keep living as the Wilkins, but... I understand it. Now that you have all your memories back, you can choose. I will be here whatever you decide, but ultimately it is your decision to make."
Not long after, both witches are leaving them to their discussion and to try and process all they have learned today. They have much thinking to do and this long day is finally taken a toll in Hermione... and Fleur too. They assure them they will be fine in Australia, that they already have a place to stay, and they promise to meet the next day again and see if they have already figured something up.
Hermione and Fleur say their goodbyes and walk through the streets of the neighbourhood in silence. It is a very nice neighbourhood, the blonde thinks. She imagines a kangaroo jumping through the streets and the house's gardens and shakes herself laughing at how stereotypical that is of her. She should know better after all of what she has heard about her own country. She looks back at her friend and finds her in deep thought. Fleur worries about what it is going on in that brain of hers...
"A penny for your thoughts." The brunette looks at her and smiles. "That didn't go so bad, did it?"
"No, it went really good." She sighs. "I thought it would take longer for my father to understand where I was coming from, the reasoning behind what I did." The blonde nods. "Thank you, Fleur. You helped a lot."
"You are welcome, but I didn't do much. It was all you." Fleur smiles. "I basically was feeding my curiosity. Now I know what the three of you did on your own." She chuckles.
"But really, I appreciate a lot you helping me. What you said... And just you being there... you made this easier for me."
"That was what I was aiming for." Fleur smiles. "Stop it, Hermione. That is what friends are for. We help each other."
"You have been doing a lot of helping me lately..."
"It is helping me too, you know?" Fleur confesses. "More than I had anticipated." She murmurs. Fleur thought been near the one chosen by her veela soul would make things harder for her, but that part is behaving pretty well so far and she is just enjoying this newfound friendship with Hermione.
The brunette looks at her, trying to make out the last part. "Do you want to sightsee Perth or would you prefer going back to my Tante's house and catch on some sleep?"
She ponders. "I'm still a little nervous, but I don't think I can keep my eyes open for long."
The blonde chuckles. "I was hoping you said that." Fleur takes her hand and looks around, making sure that they are out sight.
"Shall we?"
She holds tight. "Let's go."
They apparate in the kitchen where this morning, she guesses, they had coffee. "Hello?" Fleur calls to the empty room, loud enough for her voice to carry to the other rooms. When nobody answers her, they assume her Tante and Oncle are still out.
"Why are you nervous? Worried that they will decide to live here?" She worries her lip and nods. "I understand it would be preferable for them to go back to their lifes in Britain, the ones where you have a part in, but it wouldn't be the end of the world if they choose to stay here." She shrugs. "Hermione, they love you. It doesn't matter what life they choose. And you are a witch. It wouldn't be ideal, but you've got the means to come to the opposite side of the world in just a half an hour."
She nods. "It's not just that. Our relationship is considerably strained after everything that happened. They may have forgiven me, but they have not forgotten and the distance may make difficult to repair the relationship."
"It will take time and work on both sides to repair your relationship, just as it will if they choose to go back to England."
She nods, seeming convinced, and a yawn escapes her mouth. "Come on. Let's take a nap." Fleur finds some parchment and leaves her Tante a note saying that they have taken them up on their offer for a place to stay. She is hopeful that they wake up soon enough to spend some time with them.
Fleur enters on of the bedrooms and Hermione follows her. "This is the room I used to share with my sister whenever we came visiting. It has been a while, but it is exactly as I remember." The twin beds rest against the wall opposite to the door, the sky blue walls having a calming effect. Yes, exactly as Fleur remembers.
She examines the room as she enters and stands awkwardly near the door. Fleur looks at her expectantly as she goes back to the door. "Which one are you sleeping on?" She points at the beds.
"I actually thought of giving you some time and sleeping in my cousin's old bedroom..."
She frowns. "But this is your room."
"Okay. Do you mind I sleep in here too?" The blonde asks.
"I don't mind... Do you?" She bites her lip.
"Well, that depends..." Fleur gives a dramatic pause, watching her waiting expectantly. "Do you snore?"
"I don't know." She says confused. "I don't think so... Nobody has told me so..." She gets flustered and moves back to the door. "I will just sleep in your cousin's room then..."
"No, Hermione." Fleur waves her hand and the door closes gently. "I was just kidding." The blonde smiles. She looks confused. "Don't go to sleep to my cousin's room. Before he moved out he had a couple snakes in a terrarium. He took them with him, but it creeps me out that some egg was left behind and a snake is hiding under the bed now." A shiver runs through her spine just thinking about it.
"And you were going to sleep there?" She asks bewildered.
The blonde shrugs. "Our friendship is rather recent and I came along in your fairly emotional trip and... I don't know, I thought maybe I should give you some space to mull everything over?"
She worries her lip while Fleur most definitely rambling. "I don't need space, Fleur. Our friendship might be recent, but I feel entirely comfortable around you." She blushes and the blonde can feel the veela inside of her swoon. "I am perfectly fine mulling it over with you in the room. I may also use your input." She straightens. "Pick a bed, Fleur. The next thinking I am going to do is in dreams."
She chuckles, walks to my usual bed and sits. The brunette shrugs, leaves the bag on the other bed and 'accio' some clothes of it. She goes off to the bathroom adjoining the bedroom and shuts the door. Fleur uses the time to change herself into more comfortable clothes and goes into the bathroom once Hermione returns.
When Fleur comes back into the bedroom, Hermione is a few meters away, lying on her stomach, fast asleep. She gets into her bed and lets sleep come too.