Raised with Magic

Chapter Six: Wind in her hair

As it turns out, I am a genius at potions, just like I am at school. Luna is almost as happy as Mum and I are. Luna confessed one night, as we quietly talked on her vibrant bed spread, that she tried to show interest in Potions for her Mum, but when she was better then any four year old should be it just didn't hold her attention. Dad's stories are what grabs and holds her attention and Luna is glad that Mum now has someone to share her Potions with. I think that this is awfully mature of Luna. I don't think that I would have been able to share my Daddy or even my Mother with some stay wandering in from another world. I kind of hate that I don't have to worry about that being a possibility any more.

Life with the Lovegoods, my new family, is more enjoyable then I had ever imagined. Over the week I have been here I have gotten to know a lot about my new family members and what they like. I have repeatedly thanked whatever would listen that Luna is not an average four year old. I've thanked the heavens that she is intelligent. Then I thanked some dainties that she is willing to share. I've thanked Buddha that she likes me and I said thanks to the Wicked Witch of the West that she always wanted a sister.

I was right in assuming that I like listening to Dad's stories and with Mum I have spent a great deal of time in her laboratory. We have been making a routine and as this routine develops, I have been growing more sure of my place here.

Yet, as sure as I am becoming of my place here, the nights are different from the days, so very different.

The days of the past week have been easy. I could talk and interact like I normally would and nothing seemed wrong. At night everything crashes back into focus. I'll never see them again, chants in my head. They're gone and never coming back, followed and added on to whatever else would play through my head. I missed Mother and Daddy.

I've never had problems sleeping before. I don't ever remember just laying awake hoping and wishing that eventually I might be able to fall asleep. Now, staring at the ceiling I had to be honest with at least myself. I've been having sleeping trouble and have been for the past seven days. I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel, I hope that doesn't mean that they will be sticking around.

I turned onto my side and hugged a pillow closer to my body. I could see the book I had finished hours before sitting on my night stand. This Life and Greatness of Norvel Twonk was an interesting read. Twonk had saved a muggle from a manicore and when that was a good thing to do, the rest of the book hyped up his greatness to amusing levels. The book made me want to go find another good book, that one had been under the couch and I had to wonder if my next read might be under the coffee table. I shouldn't though, I knew, so I did try to sleep.

I know that they know, they being my new Mum and Dad, that I am having a hard time knowing my parents are gone. Mum has talked to me repeatedly about Mother and Daddy. She tells me she likes hearing about them, but I think she just likes me being able to talk about them. She even encouraged me to go to the funeral, I decided not to. I'm not fully ready to understand completely that they aren't coming back. Even if my mind sees fit to scream just that at me.

I don't think that they know I am having trouble sleeping. I pretend to sleep well and when I am checked on at night I think I put on a passing show. If they do know that I am not sleeping they haven't said anything and for that I am glad. I don't want them worrying about me when I am already being a burden.

I have slept a little. People need to sleep. Grandpa's clock, the mantle clock that I put on my night stand, it lets me know that there are some hours that I sleep. Those hours just don't seem like hours of sleep. Hours seem like minutes then and I never feel like I sleep.

The sun was raising and I was sick of pretending that I might find sleep if I just try hard enough. By this time I normally start reading and pretending that I just woke up when someone came to find me, but for the first time in my life I didn't want to read. I was excited and I actually managed a smile.

I had remembered that today would be a new experience. Today Mum was bringing Luna and I to Diagon Ally when Dad finished up some work. We would be leaving early so I found enough amusement in petting Leo who was still sleeping as I waited for Luna.

I didn't have to wait long, "Are you up, Hermione?" Luna asked, skipping into my room. She was wearing one of her many dresses, today's is purple and it floats around her like water.

"Yeah, Luna." I was sitting on my bed petting Leo who was only half awake. I watched amused, as she grabbed one of the only dresses I liked, the fun white one and tossed it towards my bed. I found it odd that Luna found so much enjoyment in choosing my clothes. "Thanks." I changed and Luna started to French braid my hair without asking. I didn't mind, I liked making my new sister happy. Besides, I hate my hair and am quite okay with the idea of not having to deal with it.

"Are you excited. I was excited the first time Mum brought me to a muggle shopping place. They make the best dresses. Really fun dresses that fly when you dance." Rarely do I like wearing dresses, but I am pretty sure that I like them better then I will like robes. Robes look terrible bulky and unpleasant. Luna agrees.

"I can't wait to see how everything will be different." The comparisons should be interesting. Seeing differences in two should be similar things happens to be interesting to me.

"Would you like to borrow my bottle cap earrings?" Luna asked me. Luna has a lot of interesting jewelry that she alternates between. Most of them she makes herself. If I am not mistaken the bottle cap earrings are meant for luck.

"No, thank you Luna. I'm not really a jewelry person." I answered honestly. Some of my worst memories involved playing the board game Pretty Pretty Princess. Besides, I would feel terrible if I lost them. Not that I even have my ears pierced.

Then again, when I am bigger I will be. A part of me desperately wishes that I was old enough to wear my Mother's jewelry. That way I would always have a bit of her with me. I have to wait though, I know I do. Mother said I couldn't borrow them until I was a little lady. I wonder when that is exactly. Maybe I can ask Mum.

"Alright." Luna announced, tying off my hair with a ribbon. "Let's go!" Leo meowed as we left, but still went back to sleep.

We skip steps every three and Luna laughs as she tells me that one day when we're tall, we'll slide down the banisters.

Mum's waiting for us right at the bottom and doesn't even ask why we are laughing. I wonder if she heard us but I don't think she did. Even though she gives us a knowing smile and a lightly raised eyebrow as she asks, "Ready girls?"

"Yes, Mum." We answered in unison before we all traveled to Diagon Ally. We used floo. I hate flooing.

A pub was where we ended up. It was dirty and there were a lot of strange people. Luna seemed unconcerned and started skipping towards the back. I only hoped the shopping area was different then this pub. I stepped closer to Mum as we followed Luna.

She had stopped at a brink wall and I learned that this was because she was waiting for Mum to 'open' the wall. The wall opened in the most interesting way as each brick moved on it's own. I was so interested in the wall that it took me a while to realize I could even see the ally. The ally was a buzz of activity and movement. Absolutely fascinating. Everything grabbed my attention at once and I was fighting to not get overwhelmed like I do in that really awesome bookstore that Daddy only takes me to sometimes. And as I watched everything move, buzz, whirl and live I started to believe that Dad just might be right about some of his crazy creatures because if I never knew this world existed then who am I to question if more is out there?

Our first stop was a place called Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions. This normally wouldn't interest me. Clothing really doesn't interest me one was or another, but the measuring tapes and pins moving around the store on their own made the process not so painful. Except that one time that the pin poked me. You would think that with all the magic people have that there would be a counter measure for that sort of thing. Luna on the other hand enjoyed bouncing on her feet, annoying the attendant who was working on her robes. The fact that she was talking non stop about four eye brushaldelry did not help the situation. To be honest I think she might have been trying to entertain Mum. Mum didn't seem too terribly excited to be in a clothing shop. Luna does that sort of thing, modifies her actions to make other people happy. I don't mind, as long as she herself remains cheerful.

When Mum paid and was told everything would be sent to the house we moved to the Slugs & Jiggers Apothecary. I enjoyed learning how to say the word apothecary, but I would have liked more to have the chance to explore the brilliant store. I probably would have explored too, but this was Mum's territory and we didn't want to embarrass her. Both Luna and I stood still like perfect angels. When it became clear that we would be here for a while, Mum had asked us if we would mine. We didn't. this place makes Mum happy. So, Luna and I moved to the door and sat out of the way on the floor. The store lady didn't mind, we asked. As we sat, Luna told me everything she knows about Diagon Ally and I listened, remembering every thing she said. Most of the information had to do with her unproven creatures. Even when she strayed off from what I wanted to know I listened. But I can listen and think at the same time. My thoughts focused on the Potion texts in the store, but I knew I had lots of books to read from Mum's lab. I had only managed to get through ten! I'm kind of disappointed in myself. When I had told Luna this she laughed, not the mean way but the that's silly way.

We breezed past the pet store. Mum distracted Luna as we past it so I didn't say anything. We got some Wizarding sweets for after dinner. There was a lot of variety in the types we got so I could learn which ones I liked best. I felt a little bad knowing my parents had been dentists, but Daddy had always snuck me goodies as long as I brushed my teeth really well. So I promised myself that I would brush my teeth twice tonight. Maybe even three times if Luna wasn't waiting for her turn.

Mum let me choose what book store we went into. She told me she wanted to buy me a few books and I really wasn't going to complain. There is way too much new information I need to learn! I choose Flourish and Blotts because the place seemed the most inviting. I could visit the other two another time. Flourish and Blotts turned out to be the largest of the three bookstores. The place was brilliant with two floors and the walls and shelves completely covered with different books. Browsing the titles had me repeatedly taking books off the shelves and reading passages but when it came down to the decision I let the store keeper choose for me. He picked out what he believed would give me the best introduction into this new world. I really liked that man, he was nice. Although, he did smile too much at Mum.

The broom store, Quality Quidditch Supply, was interesting and I wondered if I would like flying as I looked at some of the brooms. I knew what sport these brooms were made for. Strangely enough I really love sports. But most of the time kids get mad because I am smart and athletic. They say that smart people shouldn't be athletic and that I am a freak. So, since learning obviously wins out in a match, I stick to my books.

"That's a comet 1450." A boy voice behind me spoke. By the time I was facing the boy another spoke.

"It's the newest model!" The second boy was the first's twin. I've only ever known one set of twins and they always ignored other people for each other. These two boys seemed different, friendly, nice. They only seemed to be a year or two older than me.

"I'm Fred."

"I'm George."

"I'm Hermione." I knew already that this world was more familiar to me then the other had ever been. However, it felt good to know that the comfort I felt in the Lovegood home reached further then inside those walls.

"Do you like quidditch?" They asked together. I loved that they spoke to me like I was an equal.

"I don't know." I hoped that this would not stop their niceness. "Dad's told me about it and I did read about it. I haven't gotten the chance to watch or ride though, but it all sounds like fun!" Luna had explained to me about brooms and the game when I questioned what the strange field and hoops in out closest neighbors yard are. She explained before getting one of her, our, Dad's books for me to read.

"It's a blast! Charlie and Bill take us flying sometimes! Bill is the seeker for Gryffindor." I could tell he was proud, and I had to assume that the boys they were talking about were brothers.

"Wow, he must be really good." Like they were proud, I was impressed.

"The best!" They agreed in unison.

Chatting with the twins about quidditch was fun and I got to learn about the different types of brooms. They were called away first, but not without leaving me craving the wind in my hair.

It took me a while to find Mum and Luna, even if they were still in the store. I think that Mum made it so I would socialize. It's probably just a paternal mothering thing because I also knew that somehow she had known exactly where I was the entire time.