Author's Note: Here's Chapter Nine! It's really short and I do apologize for that, but it's mostly just a filler chapter anyhow. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy!
Oh! And I actually meant to do this a couple of chapters ago, but I forgot. A special shout-out goes to: Winter's Empire for being the 10th reviewer! I'm glad to see that this story is getting so much positive response! You guys really make my day!
As a final note, why don't you check out my website? I've recently posted a blog on it and it has a special sneak peak at two stories I am currently working on the plot for. It also has a question for my readers! Go check it out. You can find the link on my homepage!
Chapter Nine:
"the Broken Pitcher"
Hermione woke the next morning with the most outrageous headache that anyone could have ever thought imaginable. It was an excruciating and blinding pain, which, combined with a deep, unsettling nausea, made her feel as if she would never move again. How many of shots of Mint Juleps had been ingested? Were Ginny and Luna still asleep, or were they lying in bed cursing themselves as well? Hermione attempted to move, but her head and stomach protested. She was in a loosing battle against her own body and by the yelling and screaming her head was doing, she would agree to never drink again. But she knew that was a lie; she was not a drunk but every once and a while a nice glass of wine went heavenly with dinner, a healthy shot of liquor went quite pleasantly with a bad mood. And so Hermione compromised with her body instead, she would not drink so much as to become intoxicated unless the circumstances called for it.
At long last, she finally was able to muster the ability to get off of the couch, which had served as her bed the night before, and walked the long distance across the room and into the small dining room to go into her purse and grab the much welcomed Anti-Hangover Potion. She quickly downed the potion and when she was free of the nausea and the headache, she looked around at her surroundings. Both of the bedroom doors to the cottage they were staying in were shut, so she inferred that Luna and Ginny were both fast asleep. Taking advantage of the situation, she returned to her purse and sought the papers that the passages had been inscribed on. For an hour, she studied them closely and even once almost came close to finally understanding it but when she went to write down her realization, she realized that it made no sense whatsoever. Then, she heard movement from one of the bedrooms and became conscious of the fact that should Ginny walk in and see her working, she would give her Hell and take the papers from her for the rest of the trip. Heart nearly racing, Hermione quickly stuffed the papers back into her purse and sat down on the couch just as Luna's bedroom door opened.
"Beautiful morning, isn't it," she asked with her usual dreaminess when she saw Hermione awake, "You didn't pack some Anti-Hangover Potion, by chance?"
Hermione was amazed at the way she held herself together, especially if her hangover was as bad as Hermione's. Nonetheless, she went to her purse and got out the vial for Luna, who seemed to be greatly appreciative. They then sat together on the couch in silence, waiting for Ginny to wake so that they may pack up and leave. Hermione looked to the coffee-table and saw that the pitcher of Mint Juleps from the night before was still resting upon it. She briefly considered taking it outside and dumping it out, but then she recalled that, due to a spell they had cast on the pitcher, it would just simply refill itself and she would be back to where she started.
Quiet mumbling from the next room, signaled that Ginny was awake and not too happy about her hangover. She came out of the room saying, "Bloody Hell, I'll never drink again!"
Hermione just simply smiled and got up from her place on the couch, which Ginny quickly stole, and returned to the living room with Ginny's vial. Ginny downed the potion much like she had downed the Mint Juleps from the night before, but this time she made a face as soon as the potion hit her lips. Hermione chuckled, she had never said it was the best tasting potion, but then again…most potions weren't. All hangover free, they began to pack up their belongings, which consisted of numerous tiny items and when they had managed to track down every single item and place them in their pockets, Luna ran into the coffee-table. Both Hermione and Ginny laughed, and Luna looked up at them nearly blushing. She knew it was probably wrong of her to think such thoughts, but Hermione believed it was nice to see Luna loose her dreamy composure, if even for a brief second.
Hermione walked up to where the broken glass and alcohol had spilled onto the floor and smiling, she waved her wand and the pieces of the pitcher went back together and the pitcher reset itself on the table from which it had been knocked. Due to the fact that it had been broken, the spell they had used to make it refill continuously had now become void. With the pitcher fixed, all of the girls headed out to the car and drove the hour-long drive back to Lorelai's house. When they finally returned to the house, Lorelai had prepared some shrimp-cocktails for them all and they sat down in her dining room to eat. It was a magnificent lunch, but Hermione, Ginny and Luna were on a tight schedule and had to leave as soon as it was finished. They're next stop would be San Francisco, California.