Getting Over It
Thanks to my wonderful reviewers you guys keep me going! –
Yellowrosesinateacup,
Celi,
illyria-light, - Thanks for your comments, you're right about the stitches thing, I just wanted to convey the childhood reaction to injuries as well as the adults, as for Hermione and Oliver as they are both as you said venerable they will be confused about their feelings but don't worry they're nowhere near being able to form a relationship yet. That would make the story way to short!
loving.wood,
angryteabag,
Morena-Forever,
RandomSmirf13
A/N – sorry it took so long to update, last week I was glued to the TV gaining information about the bombing of London, thankfully I was fine and my heart goes out to everyone who got caught up in it and all of their families.
Then this week I have been practising like mad as today was my Grade 4 Double Bass music exam. But now that's over I will be able to get back to writing.
Chapter 10
Job Hunting
Monday arrived and for once Hermione didn't wake up to the sound of her alarm clock cutting through her dreams. In fact she didn't wake up at all, there was no need; she had made Sam's lunch the night before, he could quite happily get himself dressed and Oliver was taking him into school so Hermione had a nice break in routine. Plus she didn't want to have to see Oliver until she was ready, the kiss had thrown her, it shouldn't have happened, she knew that much.
Once the front had slammed shut she dragged herself out of bed to go downstairs to clean up the mess that she expected to have been made from breakfast, but to her shock the room was exactly how she had left it the previous night. The only difference was that there was a note on the table; Hermione picked it up to read while she made herself a cup of coffee.
Hermione,
Have taken Sam with me to school, he had toast this morning and I made sure he had all his books and his lunch with him. I'll bring him back with me this afternoon; it will give me a good excuse to finish early, so there's no need for you to come to school today.
Oliver
Hermione smiled, glad that she had the day to herself; se had an interview that afternoon and wouldn't have to worry about running over time and being late to collect Sam. And, she told herself, at least now she'd have the day to work out how to talk to Oliver about the kiss. Her feelings were still too mixed up to sort out into any logical order, it was too soon after her divorce to be looking for a new relationship and there was Sam and Millie to consider, Hermione was sure they wouldn't like the prospect of her dating. But then on the other hand, it could make her happy, and she still deserved to be happy didn't she?
--
At eleven Hermione stepped out of the shower and began to blow dry her hair using the tip of her wand. Once her hair was fully dried and she was wrapped up in a fluffy light blue towel she padded into her bedroom to begin to hard task of deciding what to wear. The job was for a low level position in the Department of Inter-magical Co-operation, pretty much just a desk job, but it would be a source of income at least.
She arrived at the ministry building and was given a visitors' pass before being ushered into a small waiting room filled with six other nervous faces at various degrees of panic. Each candidate was called and questioned, returning to the room looking just slightly more relieved than when they had left. Hermione remembered to smile sweetly and list all her good attributes as much as she could. Upon returning to the waiting room she felt quite pleased with how it had turned out, feeling that she would quite easily be able to do the job.
Finally the interview process was over and Hermione could go back home, she arrived just before Oliver and Sam did.
"Mummy! Mummy! Mummy! Look what I made you!" Sam shouted as he bounded out of the fireplace and into the kitchen where Hermione was seated.
In his small hands was a piece of parchment with a crayon drawing on it. With a smile Hermione took it off him to see what it was he had created. What was on it made the breath in her throat catch and tears prick in the corner of her eyes.
"It's of you me, daddy and his special friend when we all live in a big house together." Sam explained when she did not speak.
"It's really well drawn love." Hermione choked out, trying to keep her composure in front of him.
"Why have your eyes gone all funny mummy?" He asked with a frown upon his forehead.
"It's nothing sweetheart, you go and play in your room for a while ok?"
After Sam had happily bounded out of the room, blissfully ignorant to the sadness he had just caused, Hermione crumpled the picture and threw it into the bin before walking over to the sink to wash her face.
--
At nine o'clock of that evening when Sam had been put to bed and was snoring peacefully against his soft pillow Hermione was able to rest.
"Millie comes home next week then." Oliver said when he joined her, "You looking forward to it?"
"Of course, I can't wait for her to see her new room. I bet you're looking forward to the holiday too." Hermione smiled.
"More than anything. I love Christmas, it's the best thing Muggles invented. Although the present buying isn't too great." He sighed, thinking of past times shopping with Amy, having fun and then the years when he's been alone and having to search for presents for loved ones. At those times he usually thought it was hardly worth the effort.
"I've already got all mine." Hermione grinned. "And I used Mark's credit card to buy them. A good job really I don't think I'd have been able to afford them otherwise, I better get a job soon I've nearly used up all of my savings. The child support is just about keeping us afloat at the moment."
"Well let me pay some rent then, it's not fair me presuming that you'll house and feed me for nothing." Oliver said quickly, feeling guilty.
"Oh no! Oliver I didn't mean it like that at all. Of course you don't need to pay rent, I like having you here, it's good having someone else to talk to." Hermione said hurriedly, her turn to feel embarrassed.
"Well if you're sure, you know I don't mind helping out if I'm needed."
Hermione nodded with a smile upon her face and a warmth in her heart, it was good to feel you had a true friendship in a time of need, just like she was feeling.
A few minutes later the was a short rapping upon the window, Hermione drew back the thick red curtains and opened the window to let in the large regal looking owl hovering outside. She took the letter from its beak and it flew off into the dark of the night. Once it was gone, the window shut, curtains drawn back and she was sat down again Hermione looked at the letter. It was addressed to her in thick black italic script. On the other side of the folded up piece of parchment was the crest that sat above the doors leading into the Ministry.
"It's about my job interview!" Hermione told Oliver excitedly as she broke the wax seal and unfolded it.
Dear Ms Hermione A. Granger,
Thank you for attending the interview for Junior Executive for the Department of Inter-Magical Co-operation. Unfortunately we cannot offer you the job. We apologise for taking your time and ask for you to consider looking for other jobs the Ministry has to offer, as you may be able to use your skills in another way.
This time with no son around to be strong for Hermione let the tears flow down her cheeks and drop onto the paper she was holding, disturbing the ink and making patches of wet upon it.
"Hermione what's wrong?" Oliver asked worriedly rushing over to take the letter from her hand and read it himself.
Once he had taken in what the letter had said he wordlessly pulled his new friend into a comforting hug. For a few minutes they simple stood there with Hermione sobbing into his chest. When her cries subsided he pulled away.
"I'm crap aren't I?" She said with a depressed sigh.
"No you're not Hermione, you just haven't found the right job yet. Something will come along and you'll be glad that you didn't get this crappy job because that one will be the one for you." He told her and she looked up at him.
"Is that how you feel about teaching?"
"Most of the time, I mean everyone has their off days, but I truly believe that this is what I'm supposed to do. It's like fate or something."
"Oh you don't believe all that do you?" Hermione scoffed, "You're in danger of sounding like Professor Trelawney."
They both laughed at memories of lessons in Divination and how rubbish a teacher she was.
"See you're smiling again, it's forgotten already. Now tell me what is it you would actually like to do?" He asked.
Hermione thought about it for a while before answering. "I don't really know, I got good N.E.W.Ts so it's not like I'm that limited with what I can do but I guess I want something that uses the skill I've learnt since leaving school too. But what would that be? Having kids, fat lot of good that would do me." She gave a sad little chuckle.
"Now there's where you're wrong." Oliver said as a grin spread across his face.
"What?" Hermione asked wanting to know why he was so happy.
"Oh you'll see." He told her conspiringly "Just go to bed and you'll find out in the morning."
Hermione tried to protest but Oliver would say nothing else as he pushed her up the stairs and into her room. She spent the night thinking about what it was he had meant and by the time she woke up the next morning he had already taken Sam to school.
Down in the kitchen there was another note from her new lodger.
Hermione,
I know you're expecting that I would just go off and leave you wondering what it was I meant last night and you're right I'm not going to tell you yet. But if you come to school at 2:15pm you will find out all you need to know. Dress smart-ish but not too intimidating.
See you this afternoon,
Oliver.
Hermione let out a growl of frustration, if anything the note had confused her even more than before. She made her way back upstairs and tried to work out how the hell to dress smartish-ly and not be intimidating at the same time. It took her quite to work out how to do it.
--
At quarter past two Hermione arrived at school and walked into the reception area.
"Ah Ms Granger! How lovely, Mr Wood said we should expect you. Please follow me." A tall woman that Hermione recognised as being the deputy head teacher said.
Hermione did as she said and found herself in a large empty room.
"Well what do you think?" Mrs Jones asked her.
"Erm about what?" Hermione stuttered, feeling extremely stupid.
"Is it enough space to set up a nursery?" Mrs Jones sighed.
"A nursery? Why are you asking me?" Hermione frowned trying to work out why she was actually stood there.
"Well if you're going to run it you should know how much space you need."
"M-me r-run the nursery?"
"Yes that is why you're here is it not."
It took all of three seconds for Hermione to make her mind up. "Yes that's it, sorry my mind's on other things. Erm, yes this should be fine for a nursery."
"Very well then. Now we're looking to start in the new school year so we have time to find children to join us and you can decorate it in anyway you'd like to, within reason of course. That's it I believe, I'm glad to have you on board."
Hermione grinned as she shook her new colleague's hand. Maybe things will be ok after all, she thought to herself as she walked down the corridor to find Oliver and thank him.