Chapter 3 – And Now to France
Hermione was sat in her flat curled up on the sofa with a soft deep blue blanket around her legs. Her laptop was rested on the arm of the sofa with the screensaver running across it. She had been working well, on a roll, until and owl had swooped in through the window and deposited a letter in Hermione's lap.
Hermione opened it up and read through it. It was from her publisher. A promotion tour had been set up and Hermione was to go to France for two weeks to do interviews about her first book. She smiled, put the letter down and shut down her laptop. Grabbing a piece of paper she quickly wrote a letter to each Ginny, Harry and Ron. She then wrote a letter back to her publisher to let her know she would be happy to go to France.
Hearing a pop she looked up to see Ginny.
"Can I come with you?" She asked eagerly.
"What about your job?" Hermione reminded her.
"Screw my job! I don't care, the worst that can happen is that they'll fire me and its ok I've got two very rich friends I'm sure either you or Harry would be able to put me up for a while."
"Ok you can come with me. It will be good to have a familiar face there with me."
Ginny broke into a grin and squealed happily jumping up and down on the spot. She ran over to Hermione and pulled her into a hug. Hermione laughed at her friend's happiness and remembered how excited she had been the first time she had gone abroad.
"We'll have to go shopping of course. Get some nice summery clothes to wear and a swim suit so we can sunbathe! Let's go into London tomorrow and we can have a shopping spree."
"But tomorrow is Monday I have to work." Ginny said downcast.
"Well quit, like you said I'm rich enough. I think it's time I moved out of this tiny little place and brought a proper house. I can afford to keep a few friends with me of course. Then you can find a job you will enjoy and not have to worry about not being able to pay the rent."
"Oh Hermione are you sure?" Ginny asked looking shocked.
"Of course I am! I want a big house with a big garden where I can sit a write and a swimming pool would be nice. Now I have money I can have it all. I think a house with a huge library and office would be nice. Then when I get asked to do interviews I won't be embarrassed to do them in my own home."
"Hermione you are the best friend I could have ever asked for!" Ginny said with a huge grin hugging her friend again.
--
The next morning Hermione waited outside the Ministry while Ginny marched upstairs and told her boss to 'stick her job where the sun doesn't shine'. She came running down the stairs laughing and grabbed Hermione's arm pulling her outside.
"Come on let's go and shop our troubles away!" Ginny proclaimed "And you can tell me all about what happened with you and Oliver."
Three hours later Ginny and Hermione collapsed onto one of the sofas in Starbucks, bags littering the floor at their feet. Hermione went over to the counter and purchased two coffees while Ginny looked at all the things she had bought.
They spent the next hour gossiping about all the people they knew, Hermione told Ginny all that had happened between her and Oliver and Ginny told Hermione all about her suspicions that Harry had found himself a girl.
"I just don't know what to do Mione, I mean I know he doesn't feel the same way about me, but that doesn't make the slightest bit of difference. I don't want to love him but I really can't help it."
"Oh Ginny," Hermione said with a sigh "It must be so terrible for you. Do you know who this girl is?"
"No but Ron's been hinting that Harry's been coming in at very late hours or sometimes not until the next morning. Ron said to me last night that there may be a new addition to their house at this rate."
"How could Ron be so blunt with you when he knows how you feel?" Hermione said with annoyance and handed Ginny a tissue to wipe her teary eyes.
"I'm sorry." Ginny sniffed "We were having such a nice time and I've gone and ruined it."
"No don't be silly you haven't and you can't help the way you feel now can you? Harry's an idiot not to want you. Now how about we go to Diagon Alley to housing agency and see if we can find a house with a big library and swimming pool to live in."
Ginny smiled through her sadness and helped her friend collect up their shopping bags.
--
Three days later Hermione and Ginny were packed and ready to go, they picked up their cases and picked up the portkey in the other. A moment later they felt a tug at their navel and felt their feet leave the ground.
When they landed the sun was shining and it was a lot hotter. They were stood outside a large villa.
"Merlin, it's beautiful!" Ginny exclaimed with a gasp as Hermione ran up to the door and walked inside. The room the walked into was very large with black and white tiles on the floor. There were two pillars on either side of the room with a step down into the sitting room that had the same floor.
Hermione dropped her bag by the door and walked over to the first sofa. It was pure white with deep purple cushions. A wooden table was set in front of it and two armchairs matching the sofa were on either side. A mirror lined one of the walls and a bookcase the other. Opposite the table were four large French windows leading out onto the garden.
To one side of the room was a hall way leading to a large dinning room and the kitchen. The other hall led to three bedrooms all with en suite bathrooms.
"Well I say we unpack now then hit the pool." Ginny said with a grin "I'll be dammed if I get back to England without a kick ass tan."
Hermione laughed and grabbed her case and walked into her room. They both unpacked their two weeks worth of clothes and slipped into their bikinis and raced out to their own private pool. Hermione dived straight in to the refreshing water while Ginny took to one of the sun chairs.
"Just think I should be at work right now!" She exclaimed happily.
"And I should be writing right now" Hermione laughed as she climbed into a rubber ring so she could float around.
"When is your first interview?" Ginny asked.
"Tomorrow afternoon. Then I have two the day after then a break for three days."
"What about the next week?"
"I have one on Wednesday then two Thursday, one on Saturday and then one on Wednesday. Then we go home Wednesday night."
"So what are we going to do on the days you have off?" Ginny asked.
"Well I do believe shopping is in order of course and a few beauty salons. Sightseeing would be good as you've never been before."
"I think that sounds great!" Ginny smiled.
--
Three days later Hermione was enjoying her first day off by taking Ginny to the Wizarding town in France. It was full of beautiful clothes shops and many book shops. It was a little like Hogsmade on a bigger scale.
As Ginny and Hermione were looking at clothes they over heard a man talking to his wife urgently.
"Come on! It starts in half an hour I want to get to our seats I don't want to miss the Magpies!" he said while his wife looked through the racks of clothes.
Ginny looked to Hermione excitedly. "Do you gear that Oliver's in France! Let's go and see him!"
"No Ginny!" Hermione snapped.
"Why? You're still friends right? Can't friends go and see friends play Quidditch?" Ginny said with a sly smile.
"Fine, but we probably won't get tickets any way." Hermione gave in with a sigh.
Hermione couldn't have been more wrong; due to her celebrity status they were given seats in the top box, where they could be seen by all the players.
--
Four hours later the snitch was caught by the Magpies and Hermione and Ginny cheered as Oliver and his team did a lap of victory around the pitch. It was then that Oliver saw the two girls. He smiled and waved to them as he flew past.
"He saw us!" Ginny exclaimed "I think we should go down to the changing rooms and congratulate him!"
"OK." Hermione agreed.
When the players had returned to their changing rooms and the crowds had dispersed Hermione and Ginny made their way to the Magpies room. There was a guard outside the door who stopped them as they walked up.
"Can I help you ladies?" he asked
"Yes we're here to see Oliver Wood please. We're friends of his." Ginny said confidently.
"And you are?" He prompted.
"We're Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger." She replied. "We went to school with Oliver; if you tell him we're here then he'd be happy to see us I'm sure of it."
"Sure of it now are you?" Came a new voice, "And what if I don't want to see you?"
Oliver stepped out of the changing room doorway past the guard.
"It's ok Colin they're safe, tell the guys that I'll see them in training tomorrow I've got my own celebration party to go to."
--
"So whatever are you girls doing in France? Not stalking me I hope." Oliver said with a grin as he set down his pint.
"We're so glad this stardom hasn't gone to your head." Hermione said sarcastically, patting Oliver's arm. "Actually I'm here promoting my book and Ginny came along to keep me company."
The three spoke for a little while longer until Hermione was struck with inspiration and rushed back to the villa to write the next chapter of her book leaving Ginny and Oliver alone.
"So you and Hermione, fancy that! A whole year and none of us guessed until she told us in the summer. You dark horse you!" Ginny said with a smile.
Oliver blushed slightly before speaking "Well it wouldn't have been smart for people to know, it would have gotten out eventually and I would have lost my job and Hermione could have been expelled. It wouldn't have been pretty."
"And what about now?" Ginny inquired, "You've met up again had some fun, of so I hear, are you going to start something now?"
"No I think not." Oliver replied "We're both at stages in our life where work is more important and relationships are put on the back burner. It wouldn't work out with us both being so busy and travelling."
"If you ask me I think that little speech has been rehearsed." Ginny said with a sly smile.
"Think what you like but it's the truth. I know you're dying to see Hermione paired off and married with kids sometime soon but I really don't think that's what she wants right now. What you need to do is respect your friend's wishes and not try to take over." Oliver downed the last of his pint and got up. "Now I really must dash all this work I have to do, I really never stop." He placed down a few coins to pay for his drinks gave Ginny a quick hug was walked out the door.
"It's so very sad when people can't see what they really want." Ginny said to herself with a sigh.
A/N – So lucky you guys! I was really bored today so here's another chapter.
Thanks for your reviews!
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