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Chapter One: The Invite, The Possibilities
My Saturday began just like any normal Saturday, with my husky Fin licking my ears. I groaned, and tried to push him away, but he wasn't budging. I peeked an eye open and glared into the blue eyes starring down at me. I heaved a large sigh as I weakly pushed myself off the bed.
"You're truly evil," I muttered at Fin as I glanced over at my alarm clock that blared 6 am back at me.
I walked out to the kitchen and opened the patio door, and Fin dashed out, jumping in the first puddle he could find. I let out another groan, knowing that he would require a bath as soon as he came back inside. I shut the door and began a pot of coffee and poured myself a bowl of Fruity Pebbles. I hadn't even poured in the milk when I heard pecking at my patio door.
"Fin don't scratch," I yelled before looking up to see a jet-black owl starring back at me. I quickly hurried over to the door and let the owl in. I carefully untied the letter from its leg and handed the owl a biscuit before it flew off.
With a quick glance at the sloppy handwriting, I recognized it at once as Minerva McGonagall's. Enclosed was my last paycheck for the year and a thank you letter for my teachings. It's been two years since I last entered Hogwarts as a student, but now I've taken over as the Potions teacher. I much rather enjoy teaching, and don't understand how Harry and Ron can stand to be aurors after everything they've seen and went through from the war. I shivered, shoving back the memories, not wanting to revisit them.
I set my check next to my purse and finished the rest of my breakfast watching Fin puddle hopping. I'm going to have to perform a drought spell on my backyard.
After cleaning Fin up with my wand and drying up all the puddles in the yard, I quickly showered and changed into my navy robes and floo powdered my way to Diagon Alley.
I briskly walked to Gringotts, but before I could walk up the steps I hear my name being called out from the crowd.
"Hermione! Hermione, over here," the voice called as I scanned the crowed. Finally I caught a glimpse of flaming red hair as it ran towards me.
"Ginny!" I cried, running to meet her halfway. We clasped into an embrace, ignoring the strange looks other witches and wizards gave us.
"I'm so glad to see you," Ginny said as she let me go. She looked just as stunning as she did back in school, except for the long scar that crept across her freckled chest.
"Me too. How was your vacation? Where's Harry?" I asked, looking into the crowed behind her.
"He and my mother are house hunting," Ginny said with a slight roll of her eyes.
"Why the hell aren't you there then?" I asked.
"Oh, no, not for Harry and I," Ginny said with a laugh, "Like I'd leave that up to just Harry. No, their looking for a new house for my parents. With all us kids gone, their looking for a slightly smaller place. Mum says it's too quiet for such a big house."
"And what does Harry have to do with all this?"
"Mum says that Harry's well respected these days, winning the war and all, so sellers are less likely to lie to the great Harry Potter," Ginny said, flipping her red hair over her shoulder, causing heads to turn.
"Oh, right, the great Harry Potter," I said, trying to suppress a giggle. Ginny caught my eye and we couldn't help but bust out in laughter.
"People just don't know him they way we do," Ginny said as we finally settled down.
"I think dork would describe him well," I said with a wink. Ginny nodded in approval and walked into the bank with me to deposit my check. Thankfully I didn't have to go on that horrible roller coaster ride to my safe.
"So what are you up to today?" I asked Ginny as we descended the steps of the bank and weaved our way back into the stream of people.
"I was on my way to see Fred and George. I feel like I haven't seen them in ages," Ginny said, lopping her arm with mine.
"How could you not see them, their ad's everywhere," I said, pointing to a bulletin posted on a lamp poll with the twin's smiling face looking down at them and waving, just to prove my point.
"They look to innocent, it's not the same," Ginny said, shaking her head at the picture and continuing the way to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. There we had to push our way through the crowd of Hogwarts' students, many of whom I recognized, just to get inside the door.
"Ginny! Hermione!" the twins called in unison from the front counter.
"I still find it weird when they do that," I whispered to Ginny, making her giggle.
"How's our little sis doin' these days?" Fred asked, embracing Ginny in a bear hug.
"Not so bad. Yourself?" Ginny asked, as she turned to hug George.
"Great! Business is better then ever," Fred said with a great deal of satisfaction in his voice.
"We're planning on find a bigger lot and expanding a bit," George said, spotting me over Ginny's shoulder.
"Hiding now are we?" George asked, wrapping an arm around my shoulder, "I'm really not as dangerous as I look."
"Please," I said, rolling my eyes at him.
"George, my dear brother, Hermione here needs a real man," Fred said, wedging himself between George and I, "A man like me."
"Stop, stop, you're making me blush," I said sarcastically, as I dramatically fanned my face.
"No worries, besides, I would never dream on moving in on Ron's…" Fred began but stopped himself quickly.
"Ron's what?" I demanded to know. I could feel butterflies creeping around in my stomach and my heart banging against my chest.
"Friend," Fred quickly finished, "Oh geez, would you look at that. That customer needs my help."
I turned to Ginny and George for an explanation, but they each avoided my eye.
"So Fred and I are working on this gum that will turn your lips different colors as you chew," George began, obviously hopping that the subject of Ron would be dropped.
"'ello Miss Granger," on of my students, Karl Dirriet, said, giving me a wave.
"Why hello Karl, how are you enjoying your summer?" I asked politely.
"Very well Miss. My parents took me to see Paris, but I must say, I much rather enjoy London," he said, grabbing a handful of Canary Creams, "Well, I'll be seeing you."
"Yes, see you next term," I said, waving good-bye.
"Why does it not surprise me that you're a professor now. What do ya teach?" George asked, leading Ginny and I to the back room where a small table sat with four chairs surrounding it.
"Potions," I said, settling into one of the chairs as George prepared tea for us.
George stopped and seemed to be struggling with something. He glanced up at me and busted out laughing.
"What's so funny?" I asked him.
"Sorry, I just got a mental image of Snape, and now you…" he sputtered out, holding his sides. I could see tears gathering in his eyes from laughing so hard.
"Oh shut it," I said, rolling my eyes at him and taking a sip of my tea, "Potions is much different then what it use to be. For one, I moved the class room out of the nasty dungeons."
"I always hated it down there," Ginny said with a slight shiver.
"Are you the head of Slytherin now?" George asked, sitting across from me at the table.
"No, Firenze has taken over for it, and I have taken over for Gryffindor," I said before finishing off my tea.
"I always knew you were a control freak, always having to be in charge," George joked, ignoring the glare I sent him.
"The only reason I'm head of house is because no one else would volunteer," I said, declining his offer for more tea.
"Really? You'd think it would be like promotion," Ginny said.
"Hardly, prefects running to you every five seconds tattling on some student, getting woken up in the middle of the night to break up Quidditch parties, and on and on. It's no cup of tea, let me tell you," I said.
"You truly are a party pooper," George said with a shake of his head.
"I'm sorry, I don't remember asking you," I said, giving him a wink to let him know I was joking.
"George, why are you in here, sitting on your ass while I'm getting mine kicked out here?" Fred yelled, poking his head into the room.
"Sorry. Excuse me ladies, the incompetent twin needs me," George said, giving us a slight bow before hurrying to the front counter.
"I must be going too, I've got to clean my house," I said, cringing at the mental thought of all the dust that has collected during my residence at Hogwarts.
"I can only imagine," Ginny said, laughing.
I gave her a quick hug good bye, and George allowed me to use the fireplace in the twin's flat above their store so that I could floo powder my way back to my house.
When I arrived I found an owl waiting for me on top of my couch. Fin was sitting on the floor, growling at it, but the owl ignored him, giving Fin the 'you-can't-touch-this' look.
I walked over to the owl, and removed the letter for its leg. Just by a quick glance at the handwriting, I could tell it was from Ron. I quickly tore it open and found that it was an invitation.
"Wonder what it's for," I said to Fin as I grabbed a biscuit from the kitchen and gave it to the owl. The owl hooted with thanks before flying off out my living room window.
"Dear Hermione," I read out loud to Fin, "You are cordially invited to celebrate Sarah's 20th birthday at the home of Ronald Weasley."
Right, like I could seriously go to a party celebrating the life of the girl who I hate the most. Like that is ever going to happen. I couldn't just stand around, pretending that I was having a good time, if I had to watch the two of them prancing around like they were in love or something. It would hurt too much. To see him smiling down at her as she gazed into his beautiful blue eyes.
"What do you think Fin? Shred it?" I asked the husky, holding out the invitation for him to sniff.
Fin looked up at me as if he knew something that I didn't. He gave my hand a like, and then gave the invite a little nudge as if to say save it.
"I'll think about it," I told him, getting up and putting the invite on the fridge, "I mean, it would give me another chance to see him again. God knows Sarah makes sure he never has time to see any of his friends."
Fin gave a little whine as if he could feel my sadness. I went back to the living room and sat down on the couch with a little huff. Fin jumped up and laid across my lap, rolling over so that I could scratch his belly.
"What do ya think you're doing punk?" I asked him, giving his belly a vigorous rub.
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Preview:
"Hermione! I haven't seen you in so long!" he sad, wrapping his arms around me, surrounding me in his musky scent. I didn't wan to let go. It felt so right. I pressed my nose against his shoulder and breathed in deep, wanting to remember it forever. But then again, I've never forgotten it either.