A.N. another chapter, not terrible, but normally it improves later...
Allthesame, I'm sorry but I finish a chapter when I feel it's nedeed or when I have no more idea for the day. It will have a happy ending, but I'm afraid the fic will be rather long and slow.
Thanks you to all my reviewers, without you I wouldn't keep going.
5. the muggle witch.
Hermione and Minerva watched the plane leave. Being assured that all would go well for Hermione's parents, they hurried to come back to the Grangers's house. They had a lot of things to do. Nevertheless, the young woman seemed nervous and it was rather understandable. Minerva tried to talk a little about what would happen next but decided to give her some time to adjust.
"Miss Granger, I don't think you'll have any visitors before the news of your parents's accident is broadcasted. If you want, we could just get back to your home and have a quiet day."
But Hermione shook her head with a forced smile.
"Your offer is very appalling, but I don't think it will be possible. One of our neighbour is quite nosy. You can count on her to come with false friendlyness and try putting her big nose where she shouldn't. And my not being in Italy with my parents and staying at home with a friend... Well the wheels of her brain will turn three times faster."
"Miss Granger, there's less than one month left before school and it's exactly how long your parents said to everyone they'd be gone. And I'm not some teenage boy. There is absolutly no reason for this woman to say anything. It will be alright, you'll see."
The line about the boy made Hermione smile, but otherwise, she didn't seem very convinced. "Professor, as my friend you should call me by my first name. It would be much more believable."
The Scottish woman smiled but kept her eyes on the road. "And you, Hermione, should stop calling me Professor."
Hermione blushed, although she didn't know why. "of course, Prof... err, I meant Minerva." For the woman driving, hearing her name prononced like that by her favorite student, made her a little uneasy, although very happy. She was so often Professor Mcgonagall, strict deputy headmistress, that being just Minerva was a little strange. She had almost forgotten she existed.
They made the rest of the way in silence, both lost in their thought.
Arrived at the Grangers's house, Hermione perked up and gave a tour to Minerva. It had a first floor, but was actually rather small. On the ground floor, there were two bedrooms, one bathroom and the kitchen near the frontdoor. Upstairs, there were another bedroom and a room with a bookshelf and one computer.
"My room is upstairs, you can take the room near the kitchen. It's a guestroom. It should be fine. You can use the computer if you want, just call me if you aren't sure about something or if you have any trouble."
Minerva put her hand on the younger woman shoulder. "I'm sure everything will be alright, Hermione. Don't worry." She looked around her with a smile. "I understand what your parents told me about this house, it gives off a homey feeling. It's lovely." That made Hermione smile too.
Just then the bell of the frontdoor rang. Hermione rolled her eyes in a way that meant "I told you so". And indeed, it was her dear neighbour : mrs Nott. The 'witch', the most annoying being in the whole vicinity. Some inhabitants even bad mouthed that she was the most terrifing thing that could befall on a house.
When they opened the door they were confronted to the sight of a big fat woman with vicious expression. Her make-up had been applied overgenerously and with little taste, if any at all. When she talked, her voice reminded that of an actress, one deceased since at least a good century and who had smoked far too many cigarettes in her life. The voice was trying to be sultry, but was more like a cawing that managed to drip with disapproval
"Dear Hermione, I hear you will be all alone in this big 'sniff' house until your 'little friend' comes. Poor dear... but don't worry, I will keep you company." She didn't wait to see how her speech was taken and entered the house as if she was the owner.
Minerva was speechless, the gut of this woman! She was almost worst than Umbridge! Seeing Hermione sad and furious, she decided to take matters in her own hands. With a face full of interest and false honesty, she approached her like a tiger would his prey.
"Hello there. I'm Kath." She couldn't use her real name, it wasn't a common one. It wouldn't do to be found by death eaters because of such a silly mistake."May I know who I have the honour and pleasure to meet?"
The fool literally inflated with undeserved pride. "I'm Mrs Nott. It's so rare to meet such polite young people nowadays." At that, she threw a side glance to an diesbelieving and annoyed Hermione.
Minerva just smiled innocently. "So true, isn't it Hermione ?" The latter tried not to laugh while the fool kept talking without realizing that something was off.
"Yes, just this morning, I stumbled on the Qotteroy and they ran away without even a 'hello'. You know the Qotteroy I'm sure. Poor dear. A very nice family for their kind, they're a bit loud and scruffy but you can't hold it against them, can you?" 'sniff'.
At that, the temper of the two other women was beginning to really rise. Minerva thought it was time Mrs Nott take her leave before axes went flying everywhere. Her voice was notably frostier when she adressed her again.
"Well, Mrs Nott, I'm sure you have a lot of things to do and we wouldn't want to hold you back. I will take good care of Hermione. Do not let such devoted and admirable feelings worry you any more than they already have."
But Mrs Nott seemed very oblivious to subtext.
"Oh no, dear, 'sniff' it's no trouble at all and I must absolutely meet the young man 'sniff' who will stay under this roof. With the departure of the poor child's parents, I have to make sure everything will be all right. I'm sure they will thank me later."
At this point, Hermione's face had taken very interesting colours. Minerva smoothly slid between the two. "Oh really? I didn't know you were family." Her voice had decidedly taken a sharp edge that seemed to attract the fool's attention. "I'm the friend who's going to stay with Hermione. There is no boy, so no need for you to stay here one more minute!"
Diplomacy went only for so long. "No need to take this tone with me, young lady! Though not so young now. 'sniff' you can't be a friend of this silly goose. 'sniff' How old are you after all? "
"Twenty six thank you, you prehistorical harpie!" with that, she took the intruding neighbour by the collar of her dress and threw her out. "And don't ever come back your stupid, old, vindicative nobody!" Then she closed the door with a loud BOOM and leaned against the doorframe.
Meanwhile, Hermione was folded in two, laughing to tears. Seeing that, Minerva couldn't help but joining her. Soon they were both all red and trying to regain their breath.
Then, the doorbell rang again. DRING! DRING!
They looked at each other in disbelief. It couldn't be the the old hag, could it? If she didn't take the hint the first time, Minerva was afraid she'd need to use the big ammos. But it wasn't Mrs Nott at the door.
It seemed that all her neighbours were gathered in front of her home. Hermione was the one to speak, this time. "Hello everybody. eum... Is there something we can do for you?"
They all smiled at that. "You already did, thank you."
Hermione was bewildered. Was everybody turning crazy today?
A black and bald man with an easy smile approached and shook Minerva's hand. "Hello mam' I'm Phillip Qotteroy. May I know the name of the saver of our district?"
Minerva's brain seemed to gear up faster because she completely relaxed and turned to him with an easy smile on her face that made her look a decade younger. "I'm Kath. Pleased to meet you. I'm Hermione's friend."
"And ours, after what you've done. Thank you again. Nobody had the courage to do what you just did to the old witch. She deserved it for a long time now." All noded at that. "If you ever need something, don't hesitate asking us."
"We will, thank you."
A.N. thanks fade9wayz for beta reading.