Disclaimer: The HP universe belongs to J.K. Rowling
A thank you to my wonderful Beta Clover Bay!
The next day Hermione stole away to the administration building for the preserve for magical plants.
She asked for the person who was in charge of hiring staff and soon found herself sitting across from a middle aged women whose hair rivalled hers in bushiness. Five minutes later she had a job. She left the office feeling giddy. She would start on Monday, two days from now, one day after the others had left.
She felt a little nervous about telling them about her plan, since she hadn't told them before what she was up to.
To say that they were surprised when she told them about her plans would be an understatement. After the initial shock, however, they were all very supportive of her idea, even Ron and Harry after some grumbling, after all they had hoped to be able to spend more time with her now that she would be living with them.
That evening they all had a big goodbye feast, since the Weasleys and Harry would be leaving the next morning. Hermione would go with them to pack her stuff and then take another interational Portkey in the evening to come back to the preserve.
Her contract was for six months, after that she could either extend her contract or quit and spend the time till university would start in fall in whatever way she wanted.
The workers from the preserve for magical plants and dragons lived together in what looked like a little village. Always three people shared one hut together, every one had their own bedroom, they shared a common room with a little kitchenette and a bathroom.
Then there was the hut where they all could get together, there was a common room and a kitchen available for everybody (where most preferred to eat), there was also a floo connection for those who lived with their families and always flooed in for their shift. Couples who both worked at the preserve could also get their own hut, those were a little smaller then the normal ones.
In one hut was the infirmary situated and Deirdre and Julia were well stocked with healing potions and other medical equipment.
On Sunday evening after she came back from getting her stuff back in England (and a teary goodbye from Harry and the Weasleys) she met her roommates.
One was Ana, she was from Romania and worked at the preserve as a herbologist. She was a tiny woman in her fifties, her posture was straight and proud, her dark hair that slowly started to turn grey was held back in a tight bun (Hermione would soon learn that that was how she always wore her hair). Her English was rather poor and she spoke with a thick accent that was hard to understand for Hermione in the beginning. She seemed gruffy but Hermione soon learned that she had a heart of gold.
The other roommate was Tina. She was dutch and when Hermione met her the first time she thought she met an older version of Luna Lovegood. Tina was around thirty with long light brown hair that she always wore open. She had a dreamy expression on her face at all times. All Tina cared about where plants, her dream was to go on expeditions in hitherto undiscovered regions to find new species of plants. Since she hadn't any money herself and she couldn't find anyone who was willing to sponsor her expedition that dream was currently on hold and she worked in the preserve instead, where she crossed different plants and thus created weird mixtures.
They both welcomed Hermione in their own way. Tina simply smiled at her before going outside for a little stroll without actually uttering a single word. Ana looked her up and down very sternly, than she told her with her thick accent that she appreciated her piece and quiet in the evenings and she hoped that Hermione didn't plan on hosting parties at their hut and that the common room was to be kept clean. After having said that much she turned back to the book she had been reading. (Hermione learned later that the girl before had a rather wild lifestyle and used to bring her friends around after a night out to cool off)
After such a hearty welcome Hermione understandably felt rather uncomfortable in her new home. She went to her bedroom to unpack and tried to make herself feel slightly more at home.
She was relieved, however, when half an hour later Charlie came by to take her to the kitchen to have something to eat. Ana had opened the door for him when he came by and Hermione was surprised to learn that Charlie actually spoke Romanian (shortly after that, however, she thought that he had lived long enough here to pick up a thing or two).
Hermione observed his interaction with Ana for a bit. He gave her his easygoing smile that he gave everyone and he seemed to be teasing her about something, since Ana swatted his arm with a mock stern expression. Then she broke into a laugh and her cheeks turned slightly red.
Hermione really admired Charlie's easygoing attitude, he always seemed to feel completely comfortable in his skin and he had the ability to make people feel comfortable around him as well. Even herself, Hermione realized, she also felt at ease around him and usually she felt a little awkward around people she didn't know well.
They prepared some sandwiches together and then went outside to eat them on a little bench and enjoy the warm summer night. With any other guy this might have become awkward but not with Charlie. He chatted happily away about life at the preserve and about the people living and working there. He asked her a few questions, never anything too personal and he even laughed raucously at her attempts at jokes.
The next morning was her first day of work, ever. She was a little excited. Her supervisor was an ancient and thin but wiry looking man. He was Venezuelan, his name was Miguel and he commented everything with coño. In his youth he had been in love with a beautiful witch, but she broke his heart and married someone else. He had then decided to go travelling around the world. A year later he had arrived at the preserve and never left.
He spoke English quite well, though with an accent and he threw in some Spanish expressions now and then.
He had told Hermione with a wink that it was a pleasure to get a beautiful assistant such as her and then laughed loudly when he saw her blush heavily. Hermione soon learned not to take his flirtations serious and even started teasing him back.
On her first day he showed her around and taught her how to weed (and to distinguish the weed from the plant) and water and fertilize the plants properly, and she had to clear the roads of leaves and dirt. Some of the weed didn't go down without a fight and so her hands were full of scratches and blisters by the time she was finished.
She met Charlie in the kitchen where they had dinner together. She told him about her day and he just laughed, when he saw her hands he excused himself for a bit. Hermione started to do the dishes (magically) and then went outside to the bench where they had dinner the night before.
Shortly after that Charlie arrived with a small bowl and bottle in hand. She wondered what that was all about, when Charlie sat next to her and uncorked the bottle and poured its content in the bowl. Of course why hadn't she thought of that herself, it was bubotuber, she had given it to Harry herself back in fifth year when Umbridge made him write lines with her special quill.
Charlie took her smaller hands gently in his and examined her blisters before putting her hands in the bowel.
"I should have thought of that myself", Hermione said, "I guess I am not that good at taking care of myself."
"Well, good thing I am here to take care of you then," Charlie replied laughing.
Hermione looked at him wondering how he had meant that. But neither his voice nor his laughter or the expression on his face while he looked at her gave anything away. So she just laughed along with him.
After a day of physical work that she wasn't used to Hermione was very tired. She felt rather proud of herself after her first day at work, and she slept deep that night and didn't wake up until her alarm clock rang.
