Chapter 2.
A/N: I still don't own Harry Potter it still belongs to J.K Rowling. In this chapter a song from Ed Sheeran so all credits goes to Ed Sheeran
Hermione woke up early the next morning, earlier than usual, but not because of another nightmare.
She laid in bed a few more minutes to fully awaken and become aware of her surroundings. She was extremely excited because she knew Ginny would be coming over for dinner that day, she hadn't seen her since forever. Due to her professional quidditch career, Ginny hasn't been able to spend as much time with her friends as she would like.
She finally got out of bed and strolled into the bathroom to take a quick shower. The warm water was causing her muscles to unwind and loosen up. When she was done, she toweled off and used her wand to fix her hair so it would fall nicely on her back.
Hermione strolled into her bedroom and grabbed a pair of leggings and a tunic before heading to the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee and some toast with eggs on top. After finishing her breakfast, she used a spell to have the dishes clean themselves, then she took her book to the couch and started reading it again.
About an hour later, she needed to decide what to make for dinner with Ginny. So Hermione wondered if she should just order takeout instead of cooking dinner; it would save a lot of time, but she didn't know what to do for the rest of the day while she waited for Ginny to arrive.
Feeling restless and in need of a productive task, Hermione decided to tackle the cleaning of her cozy cottage. As she swept the floors and dusted the shelves, she found herself lost in thought, her mind wandering to the events of the past few days. With each stroke of the broom, she felt a sense of satisfaction and control, as if she were sweeping away the chaos and uncertainty that had been plaguing her. As she worked, her cat weaved in and out of her legs, purring contentedly, and Hermione couldn't help but smile at the simple pleasure of their companionship. She had received the cat from the Weasleys after Crookshanks passed away before the Battle of Hogwarts. Although she missed him sometimes, it wasn't as much as before the war.
Hermione turned on her CD player and put in a CD, and her favorite artist began playing through the speakers.
Ed Sheeran; Thinking Out Loud
She started singing along as she cleaned the cottage
"When your legs don't work like they used to before And I can't sweep you off of your feet
Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love? Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks?"
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, lo-ud
So, baby, now
Take me into your loving arms
Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars
Oh, darling, place your head on my beating heart
I'm thinking out loud
But maybe we found love right where we are
Oh, baby, we found love right where we are
And we found love right where we are
When the song finally ended, the next one began.
As she looked through the fridge for something to eat for lunch, Hermione spotted some leftover chicken from two days ago. She also found some pasta in the pantry and grabbed a skillet from the cupboard. She started boiling water for the pasta and chopped up the chicken into small slices. Then, she took out some corn, cucumbers, and tomatoes and blended them all together. Once the pasta was ready, she let it chill for a bit before mixing it in with the remaining ingredients. The resulting dish smelled delicious and was one of her favorites.
Hermione dished her food into a bowl and walked into the living room. She turned on the TV to have something to watch while she ate her delicious meal. As she glanced through the channels, she didn't realize at first that a horror movie was playing. She was engrossed in her food, but when she looked up, she saw a girl being tortured by a creature that didn't look human.
Hermione felt her scar begin to prickle, and her hand moved on its own accord to touch it. She struggled to breathe, knowing that a panic attack was coming. She had been experiencing them almost every day since she was tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange.
As she tried to breathe through the panic attack, she felt a sharp pain in her chest and arm.
After a while, her breathing began to calm down to its normal rhythm, and the pain in her chest and arm subsided. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, feeling grateful for the moment of peace and clarity that had come over her.
Hermione opened her eyes and looked around her cottage, feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment at the clean and organized space. She decided to reward herself with a cup of tea and a good book, and settled into her favorite armchair with a contented sigh. As she sipped her tea and lost herself in the pages of her book, she felt a sense of peace and happiness wash over her. She knew that there were still challenges ahead, but for now, she was content to enjoy this moment of calm and relaxation.
Hermione decided to order takeout instead of cooking, feeling too tired to prepare a meal after her cleaning spree. As she waited for the food to arrive, she poured herself a glass of red wine and settled into the living room. Soon, there was a knock at the door. It was Ginny, who had come over for a visit. Hermione welcomed her friend inside and they caught up on each other's lives over glasses of wine. When the food arrived, they eagerly dug in, enjoying the delicious flavors and the ease of not having to cook. As they ate and chatted, Hermione felt a sense of gratitude for the simple pleasures of life, like good food, good wine, and good company.
As they ate and drank, Hermione and Ginny talked about everything from Ginnys' work to relationships to their latest hobbies.
They laughed and commiserated, sharing stories and insights that only close friends could. Ginny mentioned that she had been seeing someone new, and Hermione was happy to hear that her friend was happy. They also talked about Harry and Ron, and how they were doing in their respective careers.
Hermione couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness at the thought of Ron, but she pushed it aside and focused on the present moment.
Then, Ginny mentioned Draco Malfoy, and Hermione's ears perked up. She had heard rumors that he had turned his life around, but she hadn't seen him in years. Ginny told her that she had run into him at a charity event, and that he seemed like a different person.
"He even said sorry for everything he's done!" Ginny added, her eyes widening in surprise. Hermione's heart sank a little at the mention of Malfoy.
"Malfoy hasn't said sorry to me anyway, because I haven't seen him since the Battle of Hogwarts," she said, her voice tinged with bitterness.
Ginny looked at her sympathetically. "Maybe he will say sorry whenever you eventually meet him, you haven't been out that much in Diagon Alley from what I've heard from Harry," she said, trying to lighten the mood. Hermione smiled weakly.
"Yeah, maybe" Hermione said, but the thought of running into Malfoy made her feel uneasy. She couldn't imagine what she would say to him, or how she would react.
She hoped that if they did cross paths, it would be a peaceful encounter. Suddenly, Ginny interrupted her thoughts.
"Do you want more wine? I forgot I've one more in my bag" she said, reaching into her purse.
Hermione nodded gratefully.
"Yes, please. I could use another glass," Hermione answered, holding out her empty glass. Ginny poured her another glass of wine, and they continued their conversation, sipping and chatting late into the night.
As they chatted late into the night, Hermione and Ginny finished their wine and snacks. They talked about everything from their favorite books to their dreams for the future.
They laughed and reminisced about their Hogwarts days, and Hermione felt grateful for the warmth and comfort of their friendship. As the clock struck three in the morning, Hermione yawned and stretched.
"I think it's time for bed," she said, rubbing her eyes.
Ginny nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I'm getting pretty tired too," she said, stifling a yawn.
Hermione looked at her friend and smiled. "Do you want to sleep over? I would love to have the company in the morning," she said, hoping that Ginny would say yes.
Ginny's face lit up. "I would love to," she said, "I had too much wine to apparate to the Burrow anyway."
Hermione nodded understandingly. "Of course, you can stay in the guest room. I'll get you some blankets and pillows," she said, getting up from the couch.
Ginny followed her to the guest room, and they chatted a bit more as Hermione made up the bed. Finally, they said goodnight and went to their respective rooms, feeling grateful for the warmth and comfort of their friendship.
Hermione slept soundly for a few hours, but she was suddenly jolted awake by a hand shaking her shoulder.
She groggily opened her eyes and saw Ginny standing next to her bed, looking worried.
"Hermione, are you okay?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
Hermione rubbed her eyes and sat up, feeling disoriented.
"What's wrong?" she asked, her heart racing.
Ginny looked at her with a mixture of relief and amusement. "Nothing's wrong, you were just screaming in your sleep," she said, her voice gentle.
Hermione felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment. "Oh, I'm sorry," she said, feeling foolish.
Ginny sat down on the edge of the bed and put a comforting arm around her friend's shoulders. "It's okay, Hermione. Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, her voice soothing.
Hermione took a deep breath and nodded. "I had a nightmare," she said, her voice trembling.
"It was about the war, and all the people we lost. And...and Bellatrix Lestrange was torturing me." Ginny's eyes widened in shock and horror.
"Oh, Hermione, I'm so sorry," she said, her voice full of compassion. "That must have been terrifying." Hermione nodded, feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes.
"It was. I could feel the pain, and I couldn't escape. It was like I was reliving it all over again." Ginny hugged her tighter.
"I can't imagine how hard that must be," she said, her voice full of empathy.
"But you're safe now, Hermione. You're here with me, and you're not alone." Hermione took a deep breath and leaned into her friend's embrace, feeling the tension in her body start to ease.
"Thank you, Ginny," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I don't know what I would do without you." Ginny hugged her back, feeling grateful for the warmth and comfort of their friendship. After a moment, Hermione looked up at Ginny with a pleading expression.
"Ginny, can you...can you stay with me tonight? I don't want to be alone," she said, her voice small.
Ginny nodded without hesitation. "Of course, Hermione. I'll stay with you as long as you want me to"
Hermione felt a wave of relief wash over her as Ginny agreed to stay with her.
She knew that she could always count on her friend to be there for her, no matter what.
"Thank you, Ginny," she said, her voice full of gratitude.
"I really appreciate it." Ginny smiled warmly at her. "Anytime, Hermione. I'm here for you," she said, her voice reassuring. Hermione scooted over in the bed, making room for Ginny to climb in next to her.
Ginny slipped under the covers and wrapped her arms around Hermione, holding her close.
Hermione felt a sense of safety and comfort wash over her as she snuggled into Ginny's embrace.
She closed her eyes and let herself relax, feeling grateful for the warmth and security of her friend's presence.
"Goodnight, Ginny," she whispered, feeling her eyelids grow heavy.
"Goodnight, Hermione," Ginny whispered back, her voice soft.
Hermione drifted off to sleep once again, feeling safe and loved in her friend's arms.
End of this chapter, I'll update as soon as I possibly can. It's been very hard time right now, a relative has recently gone through a surgery and got a massive stroke so we almost lost him. I'm not sure yet when the next chapter will be up, but I'll try my best to get it out tomorrow. I like to have some feedback on this chapter.