Disclaimer- Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers not
me! Isenguard belongs to Tolkien and I don't know how many other people!
*
AN- Another mistake! Hermione is NOT 20 but 23!!!
If I sound slightly irate in this chapter it is because the things you
order from Amazon.co.uk don't turn up on their estimation date! I know its
only just came out but they did say that my copy of Lady Knight by Tamora
Pierce would be here today and it's not!!!!!!
AGHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is NO WAY that I'm ordering the
5th Harry Potter from there, the waiting would kill me!!!!! Ok calm down.
*
When she had finally convinced Eilonwy and the Station's medi-wizard that she was fit to get up, Hermione took Pippin for a walk.
There was nothing she liked better wandering the bleak landscape of Orkney with her lively dog. It was a cold day, but enjoying a spell of no precipitation. The strong wind filled her lungs and she felt refreshed. Ahead, below the treacherous cliff a boisterous, powerful sea played, its waves getting ever higher. The air was salty, and healthy, giving Hermione back any vigour she'd lost after her magical draining.
She was often accompanied by Eilonwy on such walks, but she had offered to show Harry around the town that afternoon. Hermione was glad to be alone (well without human conversation) for a change; it gave her time to think. She tried thinking of her work; her miraculous performance of Merlin's protection spell and equally amazing recovery from the magical draining. But to no avail, red hair and freckles invaded her thoughts. Ron.
She was lost within her musings when she noticed that Pippin was barking; his friendly bark Eilonwy would have called it. He must have made a friend. He came bounding back to her and tugged on her coat, obviously wanting her to meet this friend.
"I'm sorry, has he bothered you?" Hermione asked, not realising who stood before her.
* Ron's POV
"I'm sorry, has he bothered you?" Hermione asked him, her attention used to put on the giant of a dogs lead.
"No; not at all." He replied, resisting the temptation to turn upon his heels and run.
She looked up in surprise, and he could appreciate how much better she was. The strong wind had put roses into her cheeks and the cool air had made her lovely coffee eyes shine. Her curls had been tied behind her head, but some escaped to dance in the wind. He realised that he was staring.
"Oh, Ron, hello." She said carefully. It was the first time she had addressed him with his Christian name, rather than with Commander Weasley. He supposed he could drop the Dr. Granger too.
"It's good to see you up." He said, nervously.
*Hermione's POV
Hermione barely heard him say that. She had forgotten how blue his eyes were. They danced about; side to side. Like they always did when he was embarrassed.
"Thank you," She replied. "Have you read the article in the Daily Prophet about your discovery?" He asked politely.
"Yes, Harry showed me it," She said, keeping her voice even and neutral, then on impulse she said, "But that's not the only article that has mentioned my name recently."
*Ron's POV
Ron scowled, "I wish the press would just keep out of our business," He said, A little savagely.
"Indeed," Hermione replied thoughtfully, "Who would have thought that Lavender Brown would be the next Rita Skeeter! I doubt that I can put her into a jar!"
Ron chuckled, "Yes but Parvati's Your Horoscopes section is worse," he said.
Hermione smiled, not a polite smile, a genuine warm one. The one he had loved.
*Hermione's POV
"I have to go, I promised I'd have tea with Jacob, it was nice talking with you," She said.
"Goodbye."
"Goodbye." * Jacob's office was as warm and welcoming as ever. The old man was a grandfather figure to Hermione; he was kindly, and caring. They shared a lot in common, and Jacob delighted in having someone to discuss his obsession with: The Lord of the Rings. Hermione was the only member of staff to have read the books.
They had crumpets, teacakes, scones and cinnamon toast. They talked of this and that, discussing the next move for Hermione's research but the subject that Hermione dreaded had to come up.
"You seem to have quite a hold over that young auror." Jacob said casually.
"We were best friends at Hogwarts, along with Harry that is," Hermione said, carefully.
"I think perhaps a little more as far as Commander Weasley's concerned?" Jacob asked, smiling.
"Maybe. But that was a long time ago. We were only school kids." Hermione replied, but he must have seen the wistful look in her eyes for he said,
"Ah yes but old feelings come up to attack us at the strangest of times."
"Like now? No. Not me." Hermione said only half truthfully.
"You may think that but do you feel it?" Jacob asked.
"Oh Jacob! Don't go hitting me with your cryptic soul searching questions! You're the only one who can make sense of them!" She moaned.
Jacob chuckled, "It's reassuring to know that there is something that you can't make sense of. And flattering to think I'm more cryptic than Merlin!"
"Merlin was just very bad at taking notes. I don't deserve half the credit I'm getting," Hermione said.
"I thought I'd lost you," Jacob said, in a serious tone, "It was frightening. You're more than just an employee to me. You've been kind to me in my old age. Listened to my stories, bared my groaning. And at 23, that's rare."
Hermione didn't know what to say in answer; instead she hugged the old man.
"Hermione, I will not be here for much longer. I have decided to leave you everything I have. You know I have no family and you're the closest I'll get."
Hermione looked up, surprised. "No, really, I have everything I need." She lied.
"No. Your parents left you a lot and what money you will have when I'm gone will be about that but you've told me themselves, the deatheaters burnt the house that you should have inherited. My property in Newcastle will do as a home, should you need it."
*
"What's the matter?" Harry asked. He was sitting in the pub with Eilonwy and Hermione.
"Jacob had changed his will. I'll get everything when he's gone," Hermione said shakily.
"What?" Harry asked surprised.
"I don't know. It all seems really strange to me." Hermione replied.
"No its not, Jacob loves you like his own daughter." Eilowny reasoned.
"I know but something doesn't feel right."
When she had finally convinced Eilonwy and the Station's medi-wizard that she was fit to get up, Hermione took Pippin for a walk.
There was nothing she liked better wandering the bleak landscape of Orkney with her lively dog. It was a cold day, but enjoying a spell of no precipitation. The strong wind filled her lungs and she felt refreshed. Ahead, below the treacherous cliff a boisterous, powerful sea played, its waves getting ever higher. The air was salty, and healthy, giving Hermione back any vigour she'd lost after her magical draining.
She was often accompanied by Eilonwy on such walks, but she had offered to show Harry around the town that afternoon. Hermione was glad to be alone (well without human conversation) for a change; it gave her time to think. She tried thinking of her work; her miraculous performance of Merlin's protection spell and equally amazing recovery from the magical draining. But to no avail, red hair and freckles invaded her thoughts. Ron.
She was lost within her musings when she noticed that Pippin was barking; his friendly bark Eilonwy would have called it. He must have made a friend. He came bounding back to her and tugged on her coat, obviously wanting her to meet this friend.
"I'm sorry, has he bothered you?" Hermione asked, not realising who stood before her.
* Ron's POV
"I'm sorry, has he bothered you?" Hermione asked him, her attention used to put on the giant of a dogs lead.
"No; not at all." He replied, resisting the temptation to turn upon his heels and run.
She looked up in surprise, and he could appreciate how much better she was. The strong wind had put roses into her cheeks and the cool air had made her lovely coffee eyes shine. Her curls had been tied behind her head, but some escaped to dance in the wind. He realised that he was staring.
"Oh, Ron, hello." She said carefully. It was the first time she had addressed him with his Christian name, rather than with Commander Weasley. He supposed he could drop the Dr. Granger too.
"It's good to see you up." He said, nervously.
*Hermione's POV
Hermione barely heard him say that. She had forgotten how blue his eyes were. They danced about; side to side. Like they always did when he was embarrassed.
"Thank you," She replied. "Have you read the article in the Daily Prophet about your discovery?" He asked politely.
"Yes, Harry showed me it," She said, keeping her voice even and neutral, then on impulse she said, "But that's not the only article that has mentioned my name recently."
*Ron's POV
Ron scowled, "I wish the press would just keep out of our business," He said, A little savagely.
"Indeed," Hermione replied thoughtfully, "Who would have thought that Lavender Brown would be the next Rita Skeeter! I doubt that I can put her into a jar!"
Ron chuckled, "Yes but Parvati's Your Horoscopes section is worse," he said.
Hermione smiled, not a polite smile, a genuine warm one. The one he had loved.
*Hermione's POV
"I have to go, I promised I'd have tea with Jacob, it was nice talking with you," She said.
"Goodbye."
"Goodbye." * Jacob's office was as warm and welcoming as ever. The old man was a grandfather figure to Hermione; he was kindly, and caring. They shared a lot in common, and Jacob delighted in having someone to discuss his obsession with: The Lord of the Rings. Hermione was the only member of staff to have read the books.
They had crumpets, teacakes, scones and cinnamon toast. They talked of this and that, discussing the next move for Hermione's research but the subject that Hermione dreaded had to come up.
"You seem to have quite a hold over that young auror." Jacob said casually.
"We were best friends at Hogwarts, along with Harry that is," Hermione said, carefully.
"I think perhaps a little more as far as Commander Weasley's concerned?" Jacob asked, smiling.
"Maybe. But that was a long time ago. We were only school kids." Hermione replied, but he must have seen the wistful look in her eyes for he said,
"Ah yes but old feelings come up to attack us at the strangest of times."
"Like now? No. Not me." Hermione said only half truthfully.
"You may think that but do you feel it?" Jacob asked.
"Oh Jacob! Don't go hitting me with your cryptic soul searching questions! You're the only one who can make sense of them!" She moaned.
Jacob chuckled, "It's reassuring to know that there is something that you can't make sense of. And flattering to think I'm more cryptic than Merlin!"
"Merlin was just very bad at taking notes. I don't deserve half the credit I'm getting," Hermione said.
"I thought I'd lost you," Jacob said, in a serious tone, "It was frightening. You're more than just an employee to me. You've been kind to me in my old age. Listened to my stories, bared my groaning. And at 23, that's rare."
Hermione didn't know what to say in answer; instead she hugged the old man.
"Hermione, I will not be here for much longer. I have decided to leave you everything I have. You know I have no family and you're the closest I'll get."
Hermione looked up, surprised. "No, really, I have everything I need." She lied.
"No. Your parents left you a lot and what money you will have when I'm gone will be about that but you've told me themselves, the deatheaters burnt the house that you should have inherited. My property in Newcastle will do as a home, should you need it."
*
"What's the matter?" Harry asked. He was sitting in the pub with Eilonwy and Hermione.
"Jacob had changed his will. I'll get everything when he's gone," Hermione said shakily.
"What?" Harry asked surprised.
"I don't know. It all seems really strange to me." Hermione replied.
"No its not, Jacob loves you like his own daughter." Eilowny reasoned.
"I know but something doesn't feel right."