Chapter 2- Old Dreams, New Concerns
When Hermione woke that morning she looked over at her alarm clock; it was 6:28. Disgusted at how she couldn't sleep again, she decided to get out of bed, and start thinking about those letters. When she got to the kitchen, where her mother is usually drinking her coffee, sat no one. Hermione guessed that she had kept her up last night and caused her to sleep in. But Mrs. Granger deserved a break.
Hermione opened the kitchen cupboard and out fell her old recipe book. This made her laugh. When she was about seven, her biggest dream was to be a world renowned chef. Now she had much bigger opportunities, but still loved to cook. She rifled through the book and found her own recipe for a continental breakfast. This gave her the idea to make a nice breakfast for her Mum and Dad.
Eggs, Milk, Cinnamon, Vanilla, Bread, Pan. That's all she needed for her French toast. The hash browns would be a bit different, but she would deal with that after. She cooked the French toast to perfection every time. This surprised her, seen as she hadn't cooked in around ten years. As she started to chop the potatoes for hash browns, she decided she would experiment with a few spices. 'A hint of rosemary is great', she added to her recipe in black ink. When she finished with the hash browns, she poured her Mum a glass of Apple, and her Dad some orange juice. She put each breakfast on a tray and went to her parents' room, she got to the door, and thought about the time, when she read the clock it said that it was nearly eight o'clock.
She knocked on their door and walked into their elegant room. Her Mum and Dad sat up in their bed, and asked if she was alright.
'I'm fine; I just decided to make you some breakfast. I hope you like it,' Hermione said as she laid the trays before the two adults.
'It looks beautiful, darling. Thank you so much!' Her mother said delightedly.
'Yes, it certainly does. It's a perfect way to start a morning!' her father put in.
'Well, I hope it tastes as good as it looks,' Hermione said as she left the room to clean up her mess.
When she finished cleaning she sat down at the coffee table in the living room with two pieces of parchment and a quill. She had a purpose. And that was to go back to Hogwarts and study Horcruxes, she would be helping them, but would they understand that? She hoped so.
She started with Harry's, hoping it would be easier than Ron's.
Dear, Harry,
I hope you have been having a good summer. I know it must be hard for you. Have you gotten your Apparition test scheduled yet? Have the Dursleys been absolutely dreadful? I hope that you are dealing with everything alright, it's been kind of rough on me, but I'm coping. I was actually writing to you to tell you that, as long as Hogwarts does reopen, I am going to attend for my final year. I am not trying to get you to come back, I know that you belong out there, and are ready for what's out there. But I belong at school. I can be of most help to you and Ron when I'm with my books. I do hope you understand Harry.
All my best wishes,
Hermione
Hermione hoped that would be good enough. She read it over several times, and thought it covered the point. Now she would have to think of a way to inform Ron. This would be more difficult, she hadn't addressed him since last year, and she hoped that last year didn't make it as awkward for him, as it did for her.
Dear Ron,
I hope you have been having a wonderful summer so far! How are Bill and Fleur? I hope everything is going great with them to. I have been doing pretty good so far, and am heading off for France this afternoon. We get to go and visit my Aunty Lena and Cousin Krista. I just want you to know, that I will be going back to Hogwarts as long as it reopens. I strongly believe that I will be of most help to you and Harry if I stay at Hogwarts with my books, and studies. I think that you should go with Harry to destroy the Horcruxes and defeat Voldermort. When it comes time though, I will definitely face Voldemort with you two. We both need to be there to help keep Harry safe. I hope you don't think I am doing this because I want to avoid you, I don't. I want to see you, just as much as I always have.
Love,
Hermione
Hermione considered what she just wrote, did she love Ron? She wasn't sure. Was it cruel to put Love at the end, if it wasn't true? Or would it be worse if she didn't? She was concerned with this thought as she packed, and as she got into the car for France. She only stopped thinking about it when she fell asleep on the drive up to her Aunt's house.