On Monday morning, Hermione set about her regular routine, making breakfast while she waited for Rose to wake. Ron had left early to go to the shop and she was making the most of the quiet morning, until she heard the tell-tale sound of a great barn owl landing on the perch near the kitchen window.
She opened the window and the owl flew in, landing on the back of a dining chair with a graceful swoop of its wings. It held out its leg so Hermione could remove the envelope that she was surprised to see contained the Ministry of Magic seal.
She was not expecting mail, but took the letter and handed over a treat anyway, watching as the owl flew out the window and sat in a tree out the back.
Hermione pulled open the letter and almost fell over as she read it.
Dear Miss Granger,
I would like to extend an invitation for you to attend the Ministry of Magic Headquarters, regarding your previous position as head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.
As you are aware, this position has been open since your departure, as we had hoped you would return. However, we have recently hired your replacement and ask that you return temporarily, to train your successor.
You will be compensated for your time and child care arrangements can be made within the ministry day care centre.
The new head of the department starts on 22nd of March 2005. We understand that it is late notice, however, we are very much hoping for your assistance in this matter.
The owl has been advised to await your reply.
Kinglsey Shacklebolt
Minister of Magic
London
She read the letter twice over and was caught in a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts.
The money didn't bother her at all, the idea of teaching someone else how to run the department that she pulled from the depths of nowhere and made into something great was almost too tempting to turn down. She knew they hadn't replaced her, as monthly owls had begged her to return, however, this was the first owl that she had seen in three months.
She paced the kitchen, taking a sheet of parchment and quill from the stationery cupboard and contemplating her options. If she took this opportunity, it would only be temporary. She could train someone new in under two weeks and be back to her normal life again.
She set the parchment down on the bench and wrote her hasty reply before she allowed herself to think too much about it.
Dear Minister Shacklebolt,
I appreciate your offer and would gladly attend the ministry tomorrow to assist with this. I will require child care arrangements to be made and can not work hours beyond 9am – 4pm. I hope this is suitable.
Kindest Regards,
Hermione Granger.
She rolled it up and handed it out the window before the owl swooped back over and took it from her. There was no going back now.
When Ron arrived home that night, Hermione approached the topic of her returning to work with trepidation. She already knew he'd be against it, but she wanted him to know that this is something she wanted to do for herself. To make her feel important again, to give her some sense of who she was, before she was a mother.
It went just about how she expected it to go.
"So you don't want to be a mother to our daughter?" Ron asked.
"What? No, Ron, it's not like that" she said.
"Well tell me Hermione, because the way you're talking is making me feel like this life isn't good enough for you" he said.
"Well, you know what, it sort of isn't" she said, standing from the table and taking the dishes to the sink.
When Ron didn't speak, she continued.
"I sit at home all day with Rose, who I love so so dearly, and then you come home and lock yourself away in the shed or in the spare room and some days it's like I don't exist. I only ever talk to Rose or George when he visits, or sometimes Ginny, but even she is busy with quidditch training again. I am losing myself Ron. I need to do something. I need to be somebody again" she said.
"And being a wife and mother isn't being somebody?" he asked.
"Yes, of course it is and I'm not giving up being a mother to Rose of a partner to you Ron. This is only temporary and it's not full-time hours. I'm dying here Ron, I'm literally just doing the same thing day in and day out. I can't keep going like this. It's not who I am" she said.
After a long pause, where she refused to allow herself to continue blurting out everything about how she feels, he spoke.
"Well…" he began, getting up from his chair, "… who am I to stand in the way of the brightest witch of her age, the better portion of the golden trio, the smarter one of the bunch and what she wants to do" he muttered angrily before heading to the back door to tend to his inventions.
"Ron... just…. Grow up, will you?" she spat at his retreating back before turning and seeing a confused Rose looking at her from her highchair. "Great, now we've fought in front of Rose!" she called.
AN - So, did i mention that this fic will have lots of very short chapters? I think breaking it up a bit more is better for this particular story. There will be some longer chapters as the story progresses, but for now, to establish the story and get a better understanding of these people, short chapters are better.
I hope you're liking it so far.