Chapter 3: A New Friend

Hermione walked through the front door just as her mother and father pulled in the front drive. She quickly brought her purchases up stairs and went back down to greet her parents. As they came in they carried a few bags of food.

"Are there any more bags out there?" She asked as they walked in the kitchen.

"Yes in the trunk." her mother called. Hermione went to the car and grabbed the last few bags and brought them in. Her mother was walking around taking care of them, while her father started working on dinner.

"How was your day sweetheart?" Mrs. Granger asked.

"It was really fun. Ginny and I got a lot of shopping done. We were only able to make it to this side of the Leaky Cauldron. We are going to go with Harry and Ron to Diagonally. It is safer to travel in groups." Hermione told her parents.

"I thought that the war was over with on in the Wizarding World?" Mr. Granger asked.

"It is, but there are still a few people out there that aren't happy that Voldemort is dead. Like today Ginny and I read that the Minister of Magic was murdered." They sat there and talked about the war and the aftermath that they were going through at the moment. Once dinner was done cooking they sat there and talked about something better.

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Later that night Hermione got a letter from Ginny. She sat down and read it. Ginny commented on how Harry liked her new outfits, this sent Hermione laughing, and that the boys planned to go to Diagonally in two days. At the bottom of the letter was a small post not. 'Bill says hi!' That confused Hermione a little, though Bill was no stranger to her than Charlie and Percy, she didnt expect it. She wrote a reply to Ginny saying she would go with them to Diagon, and a return to Bill's greeting. After sending off the letter she thought about going to Diagon with the Weasley Family. After a while Bill's greeting passed out of her mind.

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The next few days passed by fast for Hermione, she didnt think of Ginny's letter again till she met the family at the Leaky Cauldron. She had expected Ron, Harry, and Ginny, plus possibly Mrs. Weasley. What she didnt expect was Bill, Charlie, and the twins, Fred and George.

"After the death of the minister we didnt want to have any accidents." Molly explained. Ginny shook her head and rolled her eyes behind her mothers back.

"She doesn't think that we can take care of ourselves. We probably would have had Percy and dad, but they had to work at the Ministry. With everything going on they need everyone there." Ginny told her as they fell in step with each other. Mrs. Weasley led the group followed by Ron and Harry, George and Fred, Hermione and Ginny, and Bill and Charlie. Ron and Harry were talking about the quiditch shop with the twins.

"Hi there Hermione," Bill said walking up next to her with a smile, while Charlie walked next to his sister.

"Hi Bill, hi Charlie!" Hermione replied with a smile of her own.

"So you didnt get all your shopping done the other day? I know that Ginny came home with a lot of bags." Charlie joked.

"No we got all of our muggle shopping done. We didnt have a chance to get to Diagonally with everything that happened to the minister." Hermione said seriously.

"Have they decided who is going to take over for Scrimgour?" Ginny asked. Molly didn't allow the Daily Prohpet in the house. She said it was a waste of paper.

"Yeah, Kingsley is going to be acting minister. He even said that he might actually run for minister. Before we get some jack wadd in there that is a pureblood supremist." Charlie said.

"So Hermione how has your summer been?" Bill asked.

"Alright, not using magic feels weird, but other than that just a normal summer for me!" Hermione laughed, and Bill chuckled with her.

"How about yours?" She added.

"Been good. Last few weeks have been busy. Had to tell the goblins that I was leaving and talking to Professor McGonagall about teaching has taking up a lot of time." Bill explained.

"I bet. So what made you go to teaching?"

"Well McGonagall had origanally asked mum to do it. But she turned it down. You could tell that she was thinking about it though. Ginny talked to me about it. That wouldn't do well for you all to have her mummying all of you at the school. So I aproached the headmistress. Plus I needed to get away from Gringotts." Bill told her. They continued all through out Diagonally talking to one another and the ones around them. They all stopped at Fred and George's store that at the moment was being run by Mary, Fred's girlfriend.

"I cant believe half of the things that they have come up with." Bill said laughing as he looked around the store.

"I can, they invented a lot of it while they were at Hogwarts and tested in on the first years that they tricked." Hermione said with a laugh. Bill picked up one of the fake wands and gave it a wave. It turned in to a bunch of flowers and handed them to Hermione with a bow. Hermione did her best not to laugh along with Bill. By the end of the day everyone was ready to head home tired and loaded with packages.

"See you soon dear. Come over when ever you like. You know we would like to have you over." Molly said with a hug for Hermione. Then can Ron and Harry who told her to come over as well. Fred and George both saluted to her before running off to the floo.

"See you later. Write if you want to come over and we can make plans for a day!" Ginny said hugging her. Charlie waved to her and walked Ginny through the floo.

"Well it was deffinately a long day." Bill said smirking.

"But very fun. I will see you when I come over the Burrow?" Hermione asked more of a question then a statement.

"If its not the last week before school starts yes. But after that I have to head to Hogwarts. Have to get my classroom ready." Bill told her.

"Alright, well I will be over there in a week anyway. For Harry's birthday!" Hermione said. She started to walk for the floo when Bill asked, "Would you mind if I wrote to you sometime?"

"No that would be fun." she said turning and looking over her shoulder before walking in.

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Hermione got home a little before supper so she went up to her room to change. Her parents were going to take her out for dinner. When she reached her room she was surprised to see a letter there. What surprised her even more was that it was from Bill.

Dear Hermione,

I know finding this is a surprise. As I probably just barely asked if it was alright if I wrote to you. Well I figured you wouldnt mind, but if I am wrong just burn the letter. I have figured out lately that I need some outside the family that I need to either talk to or write. I love my family but they can drive you bonkers some time. Ron has said a few time that you can be a good listener. So if you dont mind write back!

Your Friend,

Bill Weasley