Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, brilliantly created by J.K.
Rowling. Most situations are based on those created by J.K. Rowling.
Chapter Thirty-Two: Making Plans
Ron sat inside Professor McGonagall's office, watching her look over his school records. "I am impressed, Mr. Weasley," she said when she looked up at him. "You've really improved. No doubt this is due to Miss. Granger's influence?"
Ron smiled. Professor McGonagall continued, "But you know there is still a lot to do. You can't slack off and expect to have things handed to you. You're going to have to fill out these forms, and I will submit them with my recommendation to have you accepted into St. Mungo's Healer Training Program. That's if you still intend to become a Healer."
Ron laughed, remembering his scoffing at the profession in fifth year. "Yes," he said. "The idea has grown on me."
"What happened to being an Auror?"
"Well, someone's gotta clean those guys up," said Ron. "Being a Healer lets me stay in one place and still help out. And be close to Hermione."
'Young love,' Professor McGonagall thought to herself. "Well, forgive me, Mr. Weasley, but I hope you are not planning your career around a young lady."
"Not entirely," said Ron.
"Mr. Weasley, being a Healer is a noble profession, and I want you to make sure it is what you really want. I don't want you to end up somewhere undesirable just because you wanted to stay near a girl."
"Oh no," said Ron. "I've thought about it a lot. Hermione inspired me to do it, and I've been researching it, and y'know, ever since my father's accident, I have been interested."
"Very well," said Professor McGonagall. "Here are the forms you will need. Please fill them out and return them to me during our next class."
"Sure thing," said Ron.
"See you in class, Mr. Weasley." Ron stood and headed for the door. "Send in Miss. Granger!" Professor McGonagall called out before he left the room.
Hermione was waiting for Ron outside the office. "How'd it go?"
"Great!" Ron exclaimed. "She gave me these forms to fill out, to go into Healer Training next year."
"That's great!" Hermione exclaimed and she hugged him. "I'm so proud of you!"
"You are?"
"You sound surprised," Hermione said. Ron shrugged. "Of course I'm proud of you. Ron, so many people are proud of you. Especially me. And I'm not just saying that because I'm your girlfriend."
"Thanks," Ron said. "You better get in there. I'll wait for you."
"Okay," said Hermione, and she kissed him before heading into the office.
Professor McGonagall looked up as Hermione walked in. "Please sit down, Miss. Granger," she said and Hermione took a seat. Professor McGonagall peered at her.
"Well," she began. "You certainly don't need me to tell you that the world is open to you. You can do just about anything you want." Hermione smiled. "Now, what is it that you were thinking you might want to do?"
"Well, Ginny and I have been talking about becoming Mind Readers," Hermione said.
"A wonderful profession," said Professor McGonagall. "If I wasn't a teacher here at Hogwarts, I would consider becoming a Mind Reader myself. I assume you've researched the subject?"
"Yes," said Hermione. "I know I have to attend courses for a year, as well as doing an apprenticeship with a certified Mind Reader. I've planned to do that, and then when Ginny finished here at Hogwarts, she will be my apprentice for a year."
McGonagall was impressed. "You've certainly thought this through," she said. "Therefore I will personally see to it that you get into the Training program. I have a very good friend who might be willing to take on an apprentice."
"Thank you, professor," said Hermione. "Thank you very, very much."
"Now, keep those grades up, Miss. Granger," Professor McGonagall said with a smile. "Not that you've ever needed that particular piece of advice."
"Don't worry," Hermione said. "And I'll make sure Ron and Harry keep their butts in shape as well."
"I don't doubt that Miss. Granger," said Professor McGonagall. She smiled, a rare occurrence. "Well, I suppose we're done here. I will assume Mr. Weasley is waiting in the hall for you?"
Hermione blushed and nodded. Though not ashamed by her relationship with Ron, she was still a bit uncomfortable discussing it with adults (except her mother). She smiled and said goodbye to Professor McGonagall, and then left the room.
As Professor McGonagall waited for her next appointment, she thought about Ron and Hermione, whom she imagined were walking down the hallway hand in hand. 'There's something about those two,' she thought. 'Some tie that binds them together.' She knew right then and there that they would always be together, no matter what.
Chapter Thirty-Two: Making Plans
Ron sat inside Professor McGonagall's office, watching her look over his school records. "I am impressed, Mr. Weasley," she said when she looked up at him. "You've really improved. No doubt this is due to Miss. Granger's influence?"
Ron smiled. Professor McGonagall continued, "But you know there is still a lot to do. You can't slack off and expect to have things handed to you. You're going to have to fill out these forms, and I will submit them with my recommendation to have you accepted into St. Mungo's Healer Training Program. That's if you still intend to become a Healer."
Ron laughed, remembering his scoffing at the profession in fifth year. "Yes," he said. "The idea has grown on me."
"What happened to being an Auror?"
"Well, someone's gotta clean those guys up," said Ron. "Being a Healer lets me stay in one place and still help out. And be close to Hermione."
'Young love,' Professor McGonagall thought to herself. "Well, forgive me, Mr. Weasley, but I hope you are not planning your career around a young lady."
"Not entirely," said Ron.
"Mr. Weasley, being a Healer is a noble profession, and I want you to make sure it is what you really want. I don't want you to end up somewhere undesirable just because you wanted to stay near a girl."
"Oh no," said Ron. "I've thought about it a lot. Hermione inspired me to do it, and I've been researching it, and y'know, ever since my father's accident, I have been interested."
"Very well," said Professor McGonagall. "Here are the forms you will need. Please fill them out and return them to me during our next class."
"Sure thing," said Ron.
"See you in class, Mr. Weasley." Ron stood and headed for the door. "Send in Miss. Granger!" Professor McGonagall called out before he left the room.
Hermione was waiting for Ron outside the office. "How'd it go?"
"Great!" Ron exclaimed. "She gave me these forms to fill out, to go into Healer Training next year."
"That's great!" Hermione exclaimed and she hugged him. "I'm so proud of you!"
"You are?"
"You sound surprised," Hermione said. Ron shrugged. "Of course I'm proud of you. Ron, so many people are proud of you. Especially me. And I'm not just saying that because I'm your girlfriend."
"Thanks," Ron said. "You better get in there. I'll wait for you."
"Okay," said Hermione, and she kissed him before heading into the office.
Professor McGonagall looked up as Hermione walked in. "Please sit down, Miss. Granger," she said and Hermione took a seat. Professor McGonagall peered at her.
"Well," she began. "You certainly don't need me to tell you that the world is open to you. You can do just about anything you want." Hermione smiled. "Now, what is it that you were thinking you might want to do?"
"Well, Ginny and I have been talking about becoming Mind Readers," Hermione said.
"A wonderful profession," said Professor McGonagall. "If I wasn't a teacher here at Hogwarts, I would consider becoming a Mind Reader myself. I assume you've researched the subject?"
"Yes," said Hermione. "I know I have to attend courses for a year, as well as doing an apprenticeship with a certified Mind Reader. I've planned to do that, and then when Ginny finished here at Hogwarts, she will be my apprentice for a year."
McGonagall was impressed. "You've certainly thought this through," she said. "Therefore I will personally see to it that you get into the Training program. I have a very good friend who might be willing to take on an apprentice."
"Thank you, professor," said Hermione. "Thank you very, very much."
"Now, keep those grades up, Miss. Granger," Professor McGonagall said with a smile. "Not that you've ever needed that particular piece of advice."
"Don't worry," Hermione said. "And I'll make sure Ron and Harry keep their butts in shape as well."
"I don't doubt that Miss. Granger," said Professor McGonagall. She smiled, a rare occurrence. "Well, I suppose we're done here. I will assume Mr. Weasley is waiting in the hall for you?"
Hermione blushed and nodded. Though not ashamed by her relationship with Ron, she was still a bit uncomfortable discussing it with adults (except her mother). She smiled and said goodbye to Professor McGonagall, and then left the room.
As Professor McGonagall waited for her next appointment, she thought about Ron and Hermione, whom she imagined were walking down the hallway hand in hand. 'There's something about those two,' she thought. 'Some tie that binds them together.' She knew right then and there that they would always be together, no matter what.