Disclaimer: I own nothing *sigh* I wish cause then I'd be rich and I wouldn't be working at a movie theatre.
AN: Thanks for all the reviews! Just so ya'll know I'm writing another R/H story called Winding The Clock and if you're ever bored please read that and tell me what you think.
Rating: PG to PG-13
The Winter After "We watch the days we make our plansWe change in ways a life demands
I'll always remember this time, this place
The hope in your voice, the light on your face
Because anything can happen."
-Jackson Brown 1989 "Anything Can Happen"
Chapter Two
Hermione slowly opened her eyes as the late morning sunlight hit her face. She squinted and sat up with a yawn, reaching for the jumper that she had been wearing the night before (which was lying on the end of her bed) and stood up.
She searched blindly with her foot for her slippers as she pulled her shirt over her head and exited her room. The smell of burnt toast reached her nose as she crossed the hall to the bathroom where she splashed cold water on her face.
She studied herself in the mirror, noting her thick brown curls and the small pimple that was forming on her chin. "Maybe there's a charm that can remedy that," She mused. Though a nagging voice reminded her that magic was not allowed outside of Hogwarts. "Bullocks to that," She muttered as she pulled herself away from the mirror and headed down the stairs.
Ron was sitting on the couch in the living room reading a book. Hermione grinned and grabbed his shoulders, making him jump. "Ron reading on holiday? Now I've seen everything."
"Very funny. But this is only because you don't have this class so I can't copy your paper when we get back to school."
Hermione sat down next to him and rolled her eyes. "Divination? That's hardly work. How are you going to die this time?"
"I'm not. This is Numerology. Compatibility reports and self exploration junk."
"And if you don't have a significant other to do the compatibility report on?"
"Then you use the person you fancy."
"And if you don't fancy anyone?"
"Then you use Professor Trelawny. So you had better fancy someone."
Hermione laughed.
"It's mostly simple arithmetic anyhow. Like for instance my birthday is the first of March 1980. So I take one plus three plus one plus nine plus eight plus zero."
"Twenty two," Hermione said.
"Yeah. But I have to make it a single digit. So two and two is four. My Life Number is four. Then to get your Attitude Number you add the month and day you were born so three plus one is four. Everyone born in 1980 has the same Attitude Number as life number. It worked out funny that way."
Hermione nodded. "Interesting. So what does you number say about you?"
Ron cleared his throat. "Fours seek security. Home is their haven. They are usually very cerebral and have to get out of their heads. Otherwise, great ideas will live and die in their minds," Ron scratched his head. "I don't think that's very true of me…"
Hermione swallowed. "Not to say I believe in this junk in any way… but it does sound like you. You are most comfortable when you're secure and safe. Unlike Harry who seems to need chaos. And you love your home, don't even deny it. And you are very clever, you just don't know it, so you don't tell people your thoughts because you don't want to be wrong."
Ron shrugged. "Well let's figure out what your number is."
"It's one," Hermione said with a blush.
Ron laughed. "Okay well it says: Ones are independent, self motivated, hard workers. They have a strong desire to be number one. They are critical of themselves and as a result can be critical of others," Ron raised an eyebrow at her. "Well I don't know about you but I'm a believer in this Numerology stuff."
Hermione pursed her lips. "It's coincidence."
"Well let's check the compatibility of one and four, shall we?" Ron flipped the page of his old divination book and slid his finger down the page until he found the match. "Okay it says: 'This can be a very peaceful and a stable union. It starts slowly but later on both will go out of their way to help, love and support each other. But if a disagreement occurs, the relationship can fall prey to excessive stubbornness. Both the partners are loving, reliable, hardworking, determined and persistent in the relationship.' It says we're stubborn. We are, Hermione. Look at third year when we weren't talking. Is that still coincidence?"
"Yes."
"You're being stubborn," Ron sang with a grin.
"Ugh… I'm going to go take a shower. Hopefully you'll be done when I get out."
"You're going to stay in there for an hour?"
"If that's what it takes, yes."
Ron laughed as she sauntered away. He quickly began to fill out his parchment with the information he had gathered. From the kitchen he heard Mr. Granger call to him. "Ron, we're going to run down the street to get the newspaper. Will you keep an eye on Faith?"
"No problem," Ron called back.
He heard the back door slam and not long after a small figure with tiny brown pigtails waddled into the room. "Well, hullo, Faith!" Ron greeted.
"Hi!" She said, reaching for the quill he was holding.
He handed it to her and rolled up his parchment, pulling it safely back into his book bag. When he turned around again Faith had managed to get ink all over her face from chewing on the quill. Ron jumped up and pulled the quill away from the little girl. "Damn, Faith! Let's get you cleaned up shall we?"
Faith reached fort he quill again but Ron put it in his back with the rest of his things. Instead he pulled out a sugarquill. Faith held out her pudgy hands trying to take it from Ron.
"Ah, ah, ah," Ron said, picking her up. "If you're a good girl and don't put up a fight you can have it."
Faith, who didn't seem to have a clue what Ron was talking about, just smiled.
Ron carried her out to the kitchen and set her down on the counter next to the sink and filled it with warm water. Faith happily slapped her hand on the counter as Ron washed off her face. "There we go," He said. "All cleaned up."
"Damn!" Faith cooed happily.
Ron dropped the washcloth he was holding into the sink, splashing water all over the front of his shirt. "What did you just say?"
"Damn!" She cried again.
"Oh no… oh no, oh no, oh no! No, no, no, Faithy, we don't say that word."
"Damn!"
"Bloody hell! Hermione's going to kill me!"
"Damn!"
Ron rubbed his face and quickly picked up the small child. "Faith, say Ron. Can you say Ron?"
"Damn!"
"No, no, no… Ron. Say Ron."
"Ron? What are you doing?" A voice from the doorway asked.
Ron spun around and looked at Hermione. "Nothing at all, love! I'm just teaching Faith how to say my name."
"Oh."
Faith opened her mouth. "D-" but Ron quickly interrupted her with the sugarquill.
Hermione frowned. "What was she about to say?"
"Door?" Ron said quickly.
Hermione looked skeptical. "Okay… I hope she finishes that before my parents get home otherwise you could be in some trouble."
"I think as long as that stays in her mouth I'll be fine."
Hermione continued to towel off her hair, looking at him curiously. "Are you done with your homework?"
"Yeah, mostly."
"Why are you all wet?"
"Faith got ink all over her so we had a little adventure in the sink. Didn't we, Faith?"
Faith dropped the sugarquill. "Damn."
Hermione's jaw dropped. "Ron!"
"What?"
"Why did you teach her to say that?"
"I didn't mean to! It just slipped and she won't stop saying it!"
"We're back!" A voice from the door called.
Ron looked at Hermione, eyes wide.
"Damn…" Hermione muttered.
Ron nearly dropped Faith. "You just-"
"I know I know! Let's quick go upstairs and figure out what to do before my parents talk to her."
The two ran up the stairs into Hermione's room, shutting the door behind them. Ron let Faith down and sat down on Hermione's bed. Faith ran to Crookshanks. "Kitty!"
"I can't believe you swore in front of her!" Hermione cried.
"I'm sorry… I didn't think she would mimic me!"
"She's a baby, Ron! Babies copy everything!"
"Well, what do I know about babies."
"Apparently nothing."
"Damn right."
"Damn!" Faith shouted.
"Ron!"
"She already knows it, why can't I say it?"
Hermione picked up her little sister and frowned at Ron. "You had better say something else so she doesn't swear at my parents."
"Like what?" Ron said, crossing his arms.
"Anything!"
"Faith, say poopy!"
"Ron!"
"Poopy!"
"There," Ron said with a smug grin.
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Sorry this took so long. There's been a ton of junk going on around here and there hasn't really been any time to write… unless you count me scribbling on napkins at work. ^_~ This isn't very long, I know. Most of the chapters won't be. Thanks for reading. Please review!
~Lenny