I Will Always Return
Part Three: I'll Be Home For Christmas
I'm dreamin' tonight of a place I love
Even more then I usually do
And although I know it's a long road back
I promise you
It was now early December and Hermione's job was going wonderfully. It was interesting work and she got paid well. The only problem was the Minister seemed to fancy her. He always was taking her out to dinner at New York's finest restaurants and sending her flowers. But the biggest shock came when the Minister invited her to his place for Christmas. He sauntered up to her desk one snowy afternoon and smiled at her. "Hermione...I was wondering if you'd like to join me for Christmas." Hermione's eyes popped open and she ink spilled all over her report. "Um...Sorry, Minister, but I can't." Ryan frowned. "Why not?" "I...er...I'm going home for Christmas." He frowned even more. "Home?" "To England. To be with my family and friends." Ryan frowned again. "Well, it is quite disappointing...But of course, it's your choice. Merry Christmas, Hermione." Hermione blushed slightly and went back to work. "Merry Christmas, Ryan."
I'll be home for Christmas
You can count on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents under the tree
Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light beams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams
The next afternoon, Hermione bundled herself in her warmest cloak, mittens, and scarf. She packed a small suitcase and got ready to Apparate. With a quick pop, she disappeared and appeared a few minutes later in her parents' living room. "Hermione!" Mrs. Granger hurried over to her, tears glistening in her eyes. "Mum!" Hermione embraced her tightly. "Daddy!" Mr. Granger had entered the room and swept over to his wife and daughter. "How's life in America, pumpkin?" Hermione frowned slightly. "My boss fancies me. And I miss you." Mrs. Granger smiled and Mr. Granger laughed. "Well, you're always welcome home, sweetheart." Mrs. Granger kissed her daughter's cheek. "You're going to celebrate with us before going to the Weasleys', right?" Hermione nodded and shed her cloak, mittens, and scarf. It was Christmas Eve, and her parents had a large spruce tree decorated with the regular decorations. "You must be exhausted. Let's have a quick dinner, then go to bed." Hermione agreed and they headed into the kitchen for soup and sandwiches.
Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light beams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams
If only in my dreams
Hermione sat down in the kitchen and sipped hot chicken noodle soup before trudging upstairs to bed. She pulled on her nightgown and slid into bed, falling into a deep sleep full of dreams. Dreams about one of her best friends...
"Oh Ron! Of course I'll marry you!" Hermione beamed down at Ron who was on his knee, holding out a sparkling diamond ring. Ron looked up at her, beaming as well. "I love you, Hermione." Ron got up and pulled her close. "I'll never let you go." He kissed her gently, soft and sweet. Hermione snuggled close to him. "I love you, too." Ginny, Harry, Fred, and George were cheering. Percy was smiling and so was Bill, Charlie, and Mr. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley was wiping tears from her eyes, beaming at the couple. "I love you..."
"Love you, too. I love you, Ron," she mumbled, a sweet smile curving across Hermione's lips as she slept. Mr. and Mrs. Granger stood in the doorway, watching her. "She loves him so much. When will they stop being so stubborn and get together?" Mrs. Granger murmured, leaning against her husband. "I don't know, dear. But I hope it's soon. It seems to be driving 'Mione and Ron crazy!" They chuckled quietly, then left the doorway for their own bedroom.
"Hermione, wake up dear," Mrs. Granger was shaking Hermione awake. "Hmm?" Hermione blinked sleepily and sat up. "Presents and breakfast, dear!" Hermione grinned and bolted out of bed, followed by her mother. "Morning, Daddy," Hermione threw her arms around Mr. Granger's neck and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She then turned around and kissed her mother's cheek. "Well, Mione, let's get to those presents!" Hermione giggled, feeling like a child once again. Her heart was light and happy. She sat down and began unwrapping her presents. "Ooh, a faux fur coat and scarf! It's beautiful!" Hermione pulled the sandy colored cloak around her shoulders, breathing in the scent of the fake fur collar. "Oh, Mione! This is beautiful!" Mrs. Granger had pulled a red knit cardigan and white turtleneck out of a package. "Did you knit the sweater?" Hermione nodded with a smile. "It's wonderful, dear." Mr. Granger had unwrapped a new set of golf clubs. "Excellent!" he exclaimed. "Mum, there's something else there." Mrs. Granger picked up a piece of paper. "A day at a spa! Wonderful!" She kissed her daughter's cheek. "Let's get some breakfast, shall we?" The Grangers padded into the kitchen for a quick breakfast of blueberry muffins, tea, and bacon.
"Now, we'll see you at Easter?" Mrs. Granger faced her daughter, tears shining in her eyes. "Yes, Mum. I love you." She hugged her mother and father tightly. Hermione was heading to the Weasleys, then back to New York the next day. "Bye, Mum. Bye, Daddy." She gave them one last kiss, then apparated to the Weasleys' front yard. Hermione looked around and smiled. The Burrow looked exactly the same as it had been last time. Hermione headed to the front door and rapped gently on it, waiting for someone to answer.
"Mione?!" Ginny answered the door. "Gin!" The girls squealed and hugged tightly. "It's so good to see you!" Ginny ushered Hermione into The Burrow's kitchen. "Hermione!" Mrs. Weasley beamed at her, bustling into the room. "Oh it's so nice to see you!" Mrs. Weasley hugged her tightly as well. "Ron's really excited about seeing you," whispered Ginny as Mrs. Weasley busied herself making tea. "Arthur, Ron, Fred, Harry, Sirius and George are off buying the turkey. Bill, Charlie, and Percy should be arriving soon." Mrs. Weasley stirred a sauce pan of gravy on the stove. "Sit down, dear." Mrs. Weasley pulled out a chair for Hermione and Ginny. They sat down and pulled cups of tea toward them. Hermione sipped her silently while Ginny chattered happily. "How's work?" Ginny peered into Hermione's face. Hermione smiled slightly. "All right. I miss England though." Ginny looked serious now. "Move home, Ron..." But what Ron said or did was not said by Ginny because the boys and men burst through the door, covered in snow and laughing. "Hermione!"
Part Three: I'll Be Home For Christmas
I'm dreamin' tonight of a place I love
Even more then I usually do
And although I know it's a long road back
I promise you
It was now early December and Hermione's job was going wonderfully. It was interesting work and she got paid well. The only problem was the Minister seemed to fancy her. He always was taking her out to dinner at New York's finest restaurants and sending her flowers. But the biggest shock came when the Minister invited her to his place for Christmas. He sauntered up to her desk one snowy afternoon and smiled at her. "Hermione...I was wondering if you'd like to join me for Christmas." Hermione's eyes popped open and she ink spilled all over her report. "Um...Sorry, Minister, but I can't." Ryan frowned. "Why not?" "I...er...I'm going home for Christmas." He frowned even more. "Home?" "To England. To be with my family and friends." Ryan frowned again. "Well, it is quite disappointing...But of course, it's your choice. Merry Christmas, Hermione." Hermione blushed slightly and went back to work. "Merry Christmas, Ryan."
I'll be home for Christmas
You can count on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents under the tree
Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light beams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams
The next afternoon, Hermione bundled herself in her warmest cloak, mittens, and scarf. She packed a small suitcase and got ready to Apparate. With a quick pop, she disappeared and appeared a few minutes later in her parents' living room. "Hermione!" Mrs. Granger hurried over to her, tears glistening in her eyes. "Mum!" Hermione embraced her tightly. "Daddy!" Mr. Granger had entered the room and swept over to his wife and daughter. "How's life in America, pumpkin?" Hermione frowned slightly. "My boss fancies me. And I miss you." Mrs. Granger smiled and Mr. Granger laughed. "Well, you're always welcome home, sweetheart." Mrs. Granger kissed her daughter's cheek. "You're going to celebrate with us before going to the Weasleys', right?" Hermione nodded and shed her cloak, mittens, and scarf. It was Christmas Eve, and her parents had a large spruce tree decorated with the regular decorations. "You must be exhausted. Let's have a quick dinner, then go to bed." Hermione agreed and they headed into the kitchen for soup and sandwiches.
Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light beams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams
If only in my dreams
Hermione sat down in the kitchen and sipped hot chicken noodle soup before trudging upstairs to bed. She pulled on her nightgown and slid into bed, falling into a deep sleep full of dreams. Dreams about one of her best friends...
"Oh Ron! Of course I'll marry you!" Hermione beamed down at Ron who was on his knee, holding out a sparkling diamond ring. Ron looked up at her, beaming as well. "I love you, Hermione." Ron got up and pulled her close. "I'll never let you go." He kissed her gently, soft and sweet. Hermione snuggled close to him. "I love you, too." Ginny, Harry, Fred, and George were cheering. Percy was smiling and so was Bill, Charlie, and Mr. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley was wiping tears from her eyes, beaming at the couple. "I love you..."
"Love you, too. I love you, Ron," she mumbled, a sweet smile curving across Hermione's lips as she slept. Mr. and Mrs. Granger stood in the doorway, watching her. "She loves him so much. When will they stop being so stubborn and get together?" Mrs. Granger murmured, leaning against her husband. "I don't know, dear. But I hope it's soon. It seems to be driving 'Mione and Ron crazy!" They chuckled quietly, then left the doorway for their own bedroom.
"Hermione, wake up dear," Mrs. Granger was shaking Hermione awake. "Hmm?" Hermione blinked sleepily and sat up. "Presents and breakfast, dear!" Hermione grinned and bolted out of bed, followed by her mother. "Morning, Daddy," Hermione threw her arms around Mr. Granger's neck and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She then turned around and kissed her mother's cheek. "Well, Mione, let's get to those presents!" Hermione giggled, feeling like a child once again. Her heart was light and happy. She sat down and began unwrapping her presents. "Ooh, a faux fur coat and scarf! It's beautiful!" Hermione pulled the sandy colored cloak around her shoulders, breathing in the scent of the fake fur collar. "Oh, Mione! This is beautiful!" Mrs. Granger had pulled a red knit cardigan and white turtleneck out of a package. "Did you knit the sweater?" Hermione nodded with a smile. "It's wonderful, dear." Mr. Granger had unwrapped a new set of golf clubs. "Excellent!" he exclaimed. "Mum, there's something else there." Mrs. Granger picked up a piece of paper. "A day at a spa! Wonderful!" She kissed her daughter's cheek. "Let's get some breakfast, shall we?" The Grangers padded into the kitchen for a quick breakfast of blueberry muffins, tea, and bacon.
"Now, we'll see you at Easter?" Mrs. Granger faced her daughter, tears shining in her eyes. "Yes, Mum. I love you." She hugged her mother and father tightly. Hermione was heading to the Weasleys, then back to New York the next day. "Bye, Mum. Bye, Daddy." She gave them one last kiss, then apparated to the Weasleys' front yard. Hermione looked around and smiled. The Burrow looked exactly the same as it had been last time. Hermione headed to the front door and rapped gently on it, waiting for someone to answer.
"Mione?!" Ginny answered the door. "Gin!" The girls squealed and hugged tightly. "It's so good to see you!" Ginny ushered Hermione into The Burrow's kitchen. "Hermione!" Mrs. Weasley beamed at her, bustling into the room. "Oh it's so nice to see you!" Mrs. Weasley hugged her tightly as well. "Ron's really excited about seeing you," whispered Ginny as Mrs. Weasley busied herself making tea. "Arthur, Ron, Fred, Harry, Sirius and George are off buying the turkey. Bill, Charlie, and Percy should be arriving soon." Mrs. Weasley stirred a sauce pan of gravy on the stove. "Sit down, dear." Mrs. Weasley pulled out a chair for Hermione and Ginny. They sat down and pulled cups of tea toward them. Hermione sipped her silently while Ginny chattered happily. "How's work?" Ginny peered into Hermione's face. Hermione smiled slightly. "All right. I miss England though." Ginny looked serious now. "Move home, Ron..." But what Ron said or did was not said by Ginny because the boys and men burst through the door, covered in snow and laughing. "Hermione!"