These drabbles are in response to a challenge by Droxy. The whole point is to learn to write concisely (who me?) by writing scenes with no more than one hundred words. This is a post-HBP fic.

I own nothing you recognize. I simply play in JKR's universe for stress relief.

Beginning Another

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The advertisement was for a garden apartment. Apparently, that meant on the ground floor with a sliding glass door that led into the yard in back of the building. Two bedrooms were plenty and she could use one as an office. The kitchen was adequate and the rent was right. Hermone signed a one-year lease and went shopping for furniture. She signed the lease and the checks with her new name, Jane Grisham.

It took some getting used to driving on the right side of the road. Hermione passed by the university's campus on her way to the shopping district.

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"How did you do on the Organic Chemistry test?" asked Jodi, putting her lunch on the table.

"It was a tough one," replied Jane, "I think I did all right."

"Oh, yeah," grumbled Alan, "Chemistry major over here probably got another one hundred percent on it."

Jodi burst out laughing.

"Okay," she chuckled, "Jane is something of a know-it-all, but when it comes to chemistry she really does know it all."

"You two can cut it out," teased Jane right back them, "I just had a really good chemistry teacher back at that boarding school I went to in Britain."

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"Ouch, Crookshanks," complained Jane, "That is my nipple you are stomping on with that great big ruddy paw of yours."

Jane picked up her absolutely massive cat and set him next to her on the bed. She rubbed the irritated nipple through her pajama top and winced.

"Good grief," she muttered, picking up her biochemistry textbook.

Crookshanks got up, glared at her, and jumped off the bed. He leapt up onto the cat seat by the window and looked outside.

"Be mad at me, if you want," she said, "I've got to study for the admissions test for graduate school.

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Jane Grisham signed the lease on the apartment. She didn't want to raise any suspicions by using magic to move her furniture, so she paid a moving company to bring it. After all, it was Albus Dumbledore's bequest that covered the expense.

This apartment wasn't quite as nice as her last one, but it was a lot more expensive living in Boston. In a week she'd be starting in the doctoral program in chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

She wasn't above using magic to clean. A few wand-waves and the apartment was considerably tidier than when she arrived.

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Daniel packed up the rest of his things. He didn't have much at Jane's apartment, toiletries and a few changes of clothes. Their relationship had so much potential at the beginning.

At some point in the last two months, it just faded out.

He tried to revive it. She really enjoyed classical music, so he got tickets to the New York Philharmonic. He was attentive to her needs when they were together. He always put the toilet seat down when he was finished.

Jane looked at him sadly.

"The magic just wasn't there for you," he said as he left.

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It was almost midnight, not that one could tell from inside the windowless laboratory. Jane indulged herself in a jaw-cracking yawn as she finished writing up the notes from the experiment. Dr. Ratnaker peered over her shoulder.

"Are you almost done, Jane?" she asked.

"Just about," she replied, "Ten more minutes should do it.

"Have you decided what you are going to do after graduation?"

"Definitely pharmaceutical research," replied Jane, "I've already had a few companies show interest in my work."

"Not too surprising," commented Dr. Ratnaker, "Your work is outstanding. Have you considered academia?"

"Perhaps sometime in the future."

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"If you are looking for the chance to do well-funded research, we can certainly offer you the opportunity to do it here, Dr. Grisham," said Dr. Elliott. "At Christopher Pharmaceuticals, we pride ourselves in being on the cutting edge of medical research. We have long-term research programs in place for several forms of cancer, Alzheimers, and kidney disease. Our staff are the finest from around the world and the facilities are second to none."

"I am particularly interested in the work your company is doing on cancer research," remarked Jane thoughtfully.

"I thought so when I saw your dissertation."

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"Here we go again, Crooks," said Jane as she used a packing charm to box up all of her kitchenware.

Crookshanks sat on the kitchen table and watched, fascinated as plates, cups, and utensils floated over his head and arranged themselves neatly into open boxes.

"This time," said Jane enthusiastically, "We're going to stay in one place for a good long time. I think you'll like the new house. It has a fenced in yard and two big trees that will be just for you, squirrels, and the birds."

She frowned at Crookshanks. "Please try to be a good neighbor."

To be continued