'"So Hermione's here?" he asked happily as he tickled Crookshanks behind the ear
"Oh yes, she arrived the day before yesterday,"'
10th July 1996
The early morning light was watery and misted as Hermione sat in the passenger seat of her fathers car, speeding their way towards Ottery St. Catchpole. It was a little after six o'clock and they had just begun their journey. Hermione's trunk was in the boot and Crookshanks was sleeping in his basket. Mr Granger had turned the car radio up and the two of them sat in silence for a long time, letting the music wash over them as the sun crept steadily across the sky. After a couple of hours Hermione reached over to turn the volume on the music down, finally gathering the courage to ask her father a question.
"Dad, does Mum hate me at the moment?"
Mr Granger didn't answer for quite some time, his eyes fixed on the road as he overtook a lorry. Finally he said;
"Your mother could never hate you Hermione. You shouldn't think that."
Hermione sighed and wriggled in her seat.
"But she's angry at me still. So are you."
"We're not angry Hermione," Mr Granger said, glancing sideways at her before turning back to the road "well I'm not in any case. You've got to see this is difficult for us though. We hardly know anything about your life anymore. We saw you for a grand total of a fortnight last year. That's difficult for any parent."
Hermione nodded and felt a lump rise in her throat. She was determined not to cry.
"It's not that I don't want to spend time with you," Hermione said quietly "It's just, there's a lot going on at the moment, not just school stuff. I don't know how to begin even explaining it all,"
Her father was silent again, drumming his finger lightly on the steering wheel.
"But that's just it Hermione, we want to know what's going on. We want you to tell us even if it is complicated. We're missing out on you growing up."
Hermione took a shaky breath and looked at her father's profile "I'm sorry Dad. I really am."
Mr Granger nodded stiffly "I know you are love. Me and your mother love you a lot, you know that don't you?" He glanced at Hermione again and sighed "And we're proud of you as well. We could never complain that you don't try hard enough. All you do is try. I can't be angry at you for that."
They didn't speak again until they reached The Burrow, Hermione was wrapped up in thoughts of her mother and father. The last week and a half had been awkward. Hermione had felt like a stranger in her own home. It was clear Hermione had taken things too far last year after cancelling the skiing trip with her parents at the last moment. Coming back from school injured and without being able to give a solid explanation for what had happened had not helped matters and then she announced that after just a week and a half at home she wanted to leave again. Last year then had been protests and bickering about Hermione leaving so soon into the summer holidays. This year her mother had simply nodded as if she'd known it was coming and walked out of the room. Her father had agreed to drop her off on the way to his conference this morning and had kept up a friendly attitude, but Hermione could tell he too was hurt.
It was so difficult to explain to them that with Voldermort now at large she hated being alone in the house all day whilst they worked. She was so used to the noise and bustle of Hogwarts that the house felt dead, even as she tried to read book after book she spent every day feeling lonely and afraid. She would wake in the night from dreams of a flash of purple flame and the sounds of Ron screaming as he was being strangled by brains, even though she hadn't been conscious to witness this. Her chest burnt fiercely whenever she woke from the dreams and the two potions she was still taking did little to quell this. When Ron's letter had arrived making it clear she could stay at The Burrow whenever she wanted her heart had soared, she had stopped dreading the long stretch of the remaining six weeks. She also felt a flutter of nerves at the thought of staying at Ron's house but she didn't want to delve too deeply into the source of those, she felt very confused every time she thought of Ron and what she felt for him. She'd been pushing her feelings to the back of her mind for a few years now but since they'd been in the hospital wing together after the ministry it felt like everything had shifted slightly. Like she could no longer push this away.
The sun had fully risen as the car pulled up outside the ramshackle house, scattering chickens and kicking up dust. Together Mr Granger and Hermione made their way to the front door and Hermione knocked quickly. She heard movement and the door opened at inch, a chain preventing it from swinging all the way back. Mr Weasley's face appeared in the gap, looking resigned.
"Ah Hermione, David, good morning," He said giving them a tight smile but not moving back to open the door fully "I'm so sorry but I'm going to have to ask you to prove who you are."
Hermione almost laughed "Mr Weasley it's me! You just said my name!"
Behind her Mr Granger was looking completely bewildered, Normally Mr Weasley greeted them extremely enthusiastically.
"I know Hermione but you see, you put the day and time you were coming in your letters to Ron so you could be a Death Eater in disguise," He explained, shaking his head "So you need to prove to me that you really are you!"
"How am I meant to do that?" Hermione asked, shifting Crookshanks' basket which was making her arm ache.
"You need to tell me something only the real Hermione could know. It's Ministry Procedure you see."
Hermione sighed and racked her brains to think of something she knew that Mr Weasley would also know to be true but that a Death Eater wouldn't. Really it was quite complicated.
"I stayed here two summer ago. Ginny's bedroom was a poster of The Weird Sisters in it and Ron's is covered with Chudley Cannon things, the whole room is orange,"
Mr Weasley smiled gently "Correct. And I am Arthur Weasley and my dearest ambition is to know who areoplanes stay up," He smiled again at Hermione's bemused expression "That's so you know it was really me and not an imposter."
"Oh, of course," Hermione said, glancing back at her father who was now shaking his head and seemed close to laughing.
The door shut and when in opened again it was without the hindrance of a chain. Mr Weasley stood on the doorstep beaming at them, already dressed for work.
"So sorry about that but it's standard procedure at the moment with everything that's happened. Come in, come in!"
He ushered them over the threshold and Hermione and Mr Granger made their way through to the cramped kitchen where Mrs Weasley was bustling around with tea and toast.
"Hello!" she called as she went to hug Hermione fondly "Sorry about Arthur at the door. Apparently he has to set an example for work. It's a complete nightmare going through that every day. Tea?"
Before they could answer Mr Weasley walked into the room and grabbed his bag.
"Right I'm sorry but I really must dash. Got to be in the office…" he checked his watch "well now actually. I'll see you later Molly."
He kissed his wife on the cheek, shook Mr Granger's hand and then hurried out of the back door.
"He's working such long hours at the moment," Mrs Weasley said distractedly, looking out the door after him, "It hasn't been like this since the last time … well you know," and she turned back towards them, smiling "Now I'll expect you'll want some breakfast. Have you got time for something before you head off? A bacon sandwhich?"
Mr Granger checked his watch.
"Actually we made really good time. I'll take you up on that if it's not too much trouble, I am hungry."
Mrs Weasley grinned and turned towards the stove, waving her wand so that pots and pans began to jump about and the bread began to slice itself.
"I'm afraid Ron and Ginny aren't awake yet. Although if they smell food they might appear. It's a struggle to get Ron out of bed in the morning's without the prospect of sausages or bacon,"
Hermione smiled at this and helped herself to the pot of tea, sitting down at the table along with her father. There was a clattering on the stairs and into the kitchen appeared Bill Weasley and (to Hermione's annoyance) Fleur Delacour, looking as beautiful and haughty as ever.
" 'Ermione," Fleur said throatily, walking around the table and pecking Hermione's cheek "Eet 'as been a long time."
Hermione managed a tight smile and looked at her father who, to her disappointment, was gazing at Fleur with wide eyes.
"Yes it has," She said succinctly "Congratulations on your engagement," she aimed this part of the sentence at Bill who was grabbing a piece of toast.
"Thanks Hermione," Bill said, hurriedly biting the toast "Sorry can't chat. I'll see you later. Got to go to work."
He turned and kissed Fleur who giggled and swished her hair. Hermione almost spat out her tea when she spotted Ginny standing on the stairs behind them, mining retching motions and grinning at Hermione.
Bill ruffled Ginny's hair affectionately, pecked his mother's cheek then headed out the back door as Mr Weasley had done.
"Ah, 'e works so 'ard," Fleur said dreamily, sitting down at the table and turning her attention back to Hermione "So 'Ermione, do you 'ear from Viktor often?"
Hermione felt her cheeks grow pink as Mrs Weasley set bacon sandwhiches in front of her, Mr Weasley and Ginny who had sat herself at the table, still wearing her pyjamas. This wasn't a topic she particularly wanted to broach with her father in the room.
"Oh … I er … well occasionally …" Hermione tailed off.
Fleur nodded serenely "We write to each other sometimes," she said, smiling at Hermione in what Hermione assumed was meant to be a kindly fashion " 'E is a nice man."
Hermione made a non committal noise in the back of her throat and began to eat her sandwhich. She was saved Fleur talking to her anymore by the appearance of Ron on the stairs. Her stomach did a small summersault at the sight of him still clad in his pyjamas.
"Is there bacon mum?" He asked, sniffing the air and spotting Hermione and Mr Granger "Oh, hiya, you alright?"
He walked over to them and took the seat next to Hermione.
"Good morning Fleur. Did you sleep well?" Ron said in a slightly strangled voice, grinning at Fleur.
Hermione felt annoyance flair inside of her and spotted Ginny rolling her eyes, a look of despair on her face.
"Good morning Ronald. Yes thank you," Fleur said, glancing at him and standing up from the table "I think I will go and bath now," and she swept from the room.
Ron continued to gaze at the stairs where Fleur had disappeared and Hermione felt the urge to stamp on his foot very hard. He only looked away when Mrs Weasley placed a bacon sandwhich in front of him.
"So," Mr Granger said, looking at Mrs Weasley as she sat down and poured herself a cup of tea "what was everything about at the front door then, some sort of security thing or…?"
Mrs Weasley nodded "Yes it's compulsory security measures at the moment because of everything that's going on. There's all sorts of protections around the house as well. You can't be too careful at the moment."
Mr Granger nodded even though Hermione knew he didn't know half of what was happening in the wizarding world.
"So Hermione's really safe here?" He asked
"Oh yes, as safe as she can be outside of Hogwarts. Of course she was safe at your house as well, the spells around it aren't to the same extent as here but the basic charms that were put around…"
"Wait. What?" Hermione interrupted. Next to her Mr Granger's mouth was hanging open "There's security spells around my house?"
Mrs Weasley looked confused "Well of course there is dear, they were put there over a year ago the moment You-Know-Who returned. Did Mad-Eye not tell you?"
Hermione shook her head.
"Oh for goodness sake that man!" Mrs Weasley said irritably "Well a few from the order put all the spells on before you went home last year. Nothing too complicated but enough to alert us if anyone unwanted showed up!"
"You put protection around our house and we didn't know?" Mr Granger asked incredulously.
"I'm sorry I really thought Mad-Eye had told you" Mrs Weasley said, her eyes wide "We decided it was best as you're so close to Harry. It's very unlikely they'll be needed but we thought it was better if they were there."
Hermione nodded slowly
"That's … well that's really kind," Hermione said quietly, glancing at her father who still looked confused but didn't press the matter. Instead he glanced at his watch again.
"Right … well I should really be off now," He stood from the table and drained his mug of tea "Thank you for the breakfast, I'll see you soon."
Mrs Weasley nodded still looking concerned and Hermione also stood to say goodbye to her father.
"Right so we've given you your money for the year for you to convert," he said, glancing at Hermione's trunk "And you'll sort out your school books and everything. You've got everything you need haven't you?"
Hermione nodded and hugged her father tightly.
"Bye Dad, I'll see you at Christmas?"
A shadow seemed to pass over her fathers eyes and Hermione knew he was thinking of last December when Hermione had left her parents standing at Kings Cross alone.
"We'll see what happens Hermione," He said quietly, patting her shoulder,
"No Dad I will see you at Christmas. I promise. I'm going to come home," Hermione insisted.
Mr Granger gave her a tight smile, kissed her forehead and said one last goodbye before turning to leave The Burrow. Hermione watched him go with a determination that she would, this Christmas, go home.
