The sun was up but there was nothing it could do to thaw out the fresh white blanket the night draped over the grounds. There wasn't much of a breeze, just enough to rustle the trees. Hermione had been sitting outside for a while replaying what had gone on in the common room. She and Ginny had been discussing Hermione's evening with Luckless when the boys had come down from their dorm.
"This Luckless sounds like a real charmer, Hermione."
Hermione couldn't help but chuckle at Ginny's response.
"Who's a charmer?" Ron asked as they came down the stairs.
"No one, just some guy that Hermione met at the ball last night?" Ginny said coyly.
Hermione could feel Ron's stern gaze on her even without turning to look at him.
"Is that so? Who is he, Mione?" Harry joked.
"I don't know," she said calmly.
"You don't know or don't want to tell us?" The infamous Weasley temper evident in Ron's voice.
Hermione looked at him angrily, "What's gotten your wand in a knot?"
"Nothing, just the fact that you don't seem to want to share your love life with your so called friends, or do you like having a mysterious stocker?"
Hermione stood intending to leave before an argument ensued but instead rounded on Ron. "Need I remind you that whom I spend my evenings with is none of your business, or have you forgotten that've we've already had this discussion? And he's not a stocker. He happens to be a real gentleman, which is more then I can say for you."
Ron didn't move from his spot and added calmly, "A real gentleman wouldn't hide who he really is."
Hermione scoffed.
"It was a masquerade ball, Ron. Everyone was in a disguise."
"Regardless, he should have manned up and told you."
Truth be told Hermione did agree with Ron on that point. Had she known who Luckless really was it might take off this nagging feeling she had about their date later that week. Sure it had been a mutual agreement but given all that she'd been through, Hermione was all too happy to leave mysteries behind. But on second thought, the evening had gone so well it seemed a shame to ruin it with demands. In all honesty she was happy that Luckless didn't know who she was, given she still had the reputation of being an insufferable know it all.
"That may be so, Ronald, but like I said this isn't any of your concern."
They had exchanged a few more words which led to Hermione bursting out of the common room and onto the snow covered grounds. It felt nice to sit outside alone with her thoughts. Although the war was over, the boys found it unsettling when she spent too much time on her own outside. She hated that they worried so much about her, but then again she did the same to them.
"Hermione!" someone yelled from a distance. Looking up Hermione saw the one red head that she wasn't too keen on talking to at the moment. Ron ran over to Hermione afraid that she might take off. "Hey, I thought I'd find you out here since you weren't in the library." He tried to joke but Hermione wasn't in the mood. "I'm sorry about earlier."
"Why do you always have to make such a big deal out of these things. I can handle myself, how many times do I have to tell you?"
"Yeah I know that, but as your best friend I don't want you to have to. I'd rather be the one taking care of you."
Hermione stared at him for a second, surprised at his confession. He seemed to realize what he said and quickly added, "I mean that's what friends do, right?"
That brought Hermione out of her daze. She nodded her head in agreement. Rubbing the back of his neck in nervousness Ron asked, "Aren't you cold?" he indicated her lack of a thick coat. "I mean it is snowing out here."
"I'm fine. I quite like the cold."
Ron shook his head at her, as she smiled out towards the frozen lake. "You are one odd girl, Hermione. But given that you've spent most of your life with Harry and me there must be something odd about you."
"It's Harry and I." Ron just rolled his eyes at her correction. "And here I thought it was normal to fight dark witches and wizards at eleven."
They both smiled at the way their lives had turned out. If hadn't been for the troll in first year, their lives would have been very different. Hermione still would have been Head Girl and the top of her class, just without the dark nightmares. Ron probably would still be friends with Harry but they both would be struggling with their school work even more. Ron sat down and stared out at the frozen lake with her.
"Its still a bit strange isn't it?" Ron leaned back against the tree. "Not having to constantly be on alert anymore."
"I suppose this is what being normal feels like."
Had Hermione looked over at Ron she would have seen a mischievous grin on his face as he slowly picked up some snow. He didn't even bother to make it into a ball before he smashed it onto her head. She was too shocked to scream and instead let out a shuddered huff.
"Ronald!" he was already on his feet backing away from her. Hermione picked up some snow and compacted it into a ball and threw it as hard as she could, unfortunately Ron's keeper skills helped him dodge it easily. He picked up some snow and started to circle around Hermione who stood up after missing her first shot. As they danced around Ron would try to feint to one side off balancing Hermione making her an easier target.
After getting hit a few times, Hermione had just about enough of Ron's antics. She pulled out her wand and quickly enchanted the snow to attack Ron. The first attack wasn't a horde of snowballs but instead a sheet of heavy snow that fell on top of him.
"Hey!" he yelled as he popped his head out of the mound of snow that now effectively trapped him. Hermione giggled at the trapped red head but didn't stop her assault there. With some quick magic, Ron was soon a red faced bull's-eye for Hermione's pelting snow balls. After eating some snow from the icy bullets, Ron managed to get out of his freezing trap and hid behind a tree.
"There's no magic in snowball fight."
"And why not? I am a witch. And in any case you started it, Ronald." Hermione said his name tauntingly. Ron proceeded to give her an over exaggerated frown when hearing his full name. It was at that moment that lump of snow fell from a branch onto his head. Hermione couldn't help but laugh as Ron shook the snow out of his hair, ruffling it to get all of the cold out.
"There you two are." A familiar dreamy voice floated from behind Hermione. "Is Ron trying to get rid of the wrackspurts? He might want to use some strawberry jam. They really do like sweets."
"I think it might take a bit more than jam to clear Ron's mind."
Ron stuck his tongue out at Hermione to which she made an equally annoyed face.
"Were you looking for us Luna?" Ron asked.
"Yes. Professor McGonagall asked me to tell you that she'd like to see you in her office."
"Did she say what for?" Hermione asked slightly worried.
"No, just that she'd like to see both you and Ron in her office as soon as possible."
Ron shrugged at Hermione's puzzled look.
"Thanks, Luna."
The young Ravenclaw skipped away humming softly to herself, leaving both her Gryffindor friends wondering what the Headmistress would want with them.
"Ah Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley, good to see you both got my message. Please have a seat." Professor McGonagall was shifting through a large stack of parchment when Ron and Hermione walked in. She signed and sealed a few more before she turned her attention to them. "Now I won't patronize you with riddling questions," she gave a somber smile at recalling how a previous Headmaster loved to greet his students with riddles. "I've summoned you here so that I can discuss with you some of your Head Boy and Girl duties."
"Has there been complaints professor? I assure you Ron and I have been doing all our duties to the letter. We patrol each evening with the assigned prefects, have assigned tutors to students who are struggling with their classes, and just last week had a prefects meeting to ensure no one was being over worked."
"There's no need to worry about complaints Ms. Granger, there haven't been any," said Professor McGonagall sensing the young witch's anxiety. "No the duty is a new one that I've implanted just this year." Hermione let out a sigh of relief. "I understand that it's early in the year but given that we have more seventh years than in past years it would be best to plan ahead." She pulled out a few sheets of parchment and passed them to Ron. "These are the names of all the seventh years that will be graduating this year. I'd like you both to arrange them to meet with you about their career plans after Hogwarts."
"Professor we don't know anything about career planning." Ron said with a touch of fear in his voice.
"I understand that Mr. Weasley, which is why I have these lists with the most common choices." She handed this list to Hermione. "It has the basic requirements that each profession will need and how long it would take to complete it. I'd like you both to have students schedule appointments with me so that we can discuss their decisions."
Hermione scanned down the list of professions and asked, "Professor, wouldn't it be best if students actually talked to someone in these fields? Not that speaking to you wouldn't be helpful but wouldn't it give them a better understanding of what the profession entails?"
"We normally would Ms. Granger, but given that the Ministry is still in shambles there is little hope that many will be available." McGonagall looked as disappointed as Hermione sounded.
"What if we were to arrange a meet and greet at the school?" Hermione asked hopefully.
McGonagall looked pleased at Hermione's suggestion, but shook her head sadly. "I can't guarantee that you will get an answer Ms. Granger."
"Perhaps we won't but at least we tried, right?" she looked at Ron for support but he looked as confused as he always was.
"If you wish take on this task I will not stop you. But I still need both to meet with your peers about their decisions."
They both nodded and McGonagall gestured for them to see themselves out. Once they were in the hall Ron asked Hermione exactly what is was that she had signed them both up for.
"It' won't be much more work if that's what's got you in a tizzy."
"Right, because when Hermione Granger signs up for extra work its something small and completely doable. Like the time she got a time turner from McGonagall so she could take double the load of classes that any sane third year would." Ron cocked his eyebrow up as he looked down at Hermione who was trying to act indifferent about her past decisions.
"See I'm glad you see it my way, Ronald." She smiled but it was evident that Ron wasn't buying any of it. "Come on Ron, don't you want to talk to an actual professional about the work you want to do? You could talk to a professional quidditch star and get to know what it's like?"
Ron shrugged his shoulders as though he were actually contemplating the thought.
"It would be nice but how are we going to get anyone to come to the school to talk to a bunch of students when there is a world to rebuild?"
"As I recall we are two thirds of the Golden Trio." Ron was taken aback by Hermione's willingness to use their war hero names as a means to an end. "And we are friends with the Minister for Magic."
"Well well look at you using your magical connections." Hermione couldn't help but blush at this praise even if it was to tease her. "I suppose you'll be asking Vickie to come as well? I mean he is an international quidditch star would be helpful to any upcoming talent." Hermione could hear the tinge of resentment in his voice.
"I could send him a letter and see if he could come," Hermione missed the hurt look Ron had. "He'd probably bring his pregnant wife with him. I can't see him leaving Elizabeth even for a second." Ron was now shocked to hear this news and if he were honest a bit thrilled to know that the Bulgarian seeker was already attached.
"I could talk to my dad and brothers about coming too. Dad already works at the Ministry and he has a few friends in Magical Law division. Bill is a curse breaker, Charlie works with dragons in Romania, Percy is Head of Magical Transportation, and the twins…" he paused for a moment remembering that the duo was now a single. "I mean George runs his own business. They'd be perfect for this."
"Ron that would be brilliant. Do you think they'd have the time?" Hermione knew the Weasley would help out in any way they could but that didn't mean they didn't have other priorities that took precedence.
"Dad would do it in a heart beat, either of his own accord or Mum will decide for him. Same goes for my brothers, but they may need some sort of bribe." Hermione was amused as she watched Ron mull over the idea of having to bribe his older brothers to help him out.
"Sounds like we've got our work cut out for us."
Ron nodded in agreement and the two headed back to the Gryffindor tower to get started on the preparations.