I often remember of the times when I took three months off and went to the other side of the World to explore. More than about anything else from that period of my life. It was a wonderful time, hard to describe. Although I almost lost my job beacuse of leaving for a quater of the year, it was worth every sacrifice it would take and it didn't ask for so much, after all.
I fell in love with this country of Kiwi inhabitants, these parts of the World has always been close to my heart, as well as to hearts of my parents. That's why I chose Australia as the place to leave them live without memories when I went to defeat Voldemort with Harry and Ron. I knew that if I didn't make it, they could live happily there, as they always dreamt about these parts of the World.
I have spent a lot of time just trekking in the hills, which have been almost forgotten. Those which weren't discovered by tourists yet so you could feel being a part of the nature again. I have spent a lot of time with Dean as well, in the end more than I would expect. It was very pleasant as well as all other things with which I spent my free days there.
Sometimes we went to have a dinner together, sometimes we walked the whole night through the city or went to do some trek together, as we both found the passion for the pure nature. I have already spent too much time inside the library, I loved it, but now it was time to walk out and enjoy the fresh air and I tell you one think - if nothing else, it was wonderful.
Dean didn't work in the same place I stayed, although it is hard to say where I stayed, it would be acutally easier to say where I didn't, as I was moving from place to place all the time. Sometimes, when the place was so gorgeous to steal a part of my heart and settle in it, I stayed longer. Sometimes I was able to spend 3 weeks just in that one concrete place, but usually I have stayed just a few nigths and continued. That's the great thing about travelling for wizards and witches, that no matter where you are, it's not that difficult to get anywhere else. So when Dean asked me to go out with him for the first time, I was currently at the other corner of the country, but I still had enough time to dress up proparly and get there five minutes before we agreed to meet.
He was very nice and gentle, I wouldn't call it love by first sight, but I felt happy and satisfied and that's what mattered. With each day we spent together we became closer and closer and I would lie if I said, we were cold during the night in the mountains when we set out for a trek after about a month and half after our first dinner we spent together. It was amazing, cooling, nice and much much more. We were enjoying each day or part of it we spent together as much as we could and Ginny began to be a bit grumpy in her letters beacuse of me not replying to her for ages.
I was simply happy and succesfuly denied everything from my previous life. It was hard but important to realise as well, after my return, which wasn't any near by that time, there were some changes needed to be made to to be truly and honestly happy again.
On the other hand, I totally understand Ginny for being angry with me, sometimes I was acting as a fool, suddenly there were no people from the past (except Dean, of course) and no rules as well. It wasn't very common for me to act spontaneously, and that's what Dean was trying to learn me. Sometimes it was probably a very hard work, but it was him who came with that, after all!
I can't help to smile above all of these memories from New Zealand. I felt so free, as never. Although there were times without responisibilities in my life before, I was never really free, because of my own expectations, which bonded me all the time. I don't say it has changed me so much, but it gave me the peace to my mind I was searching for and I am really gratful for that to both - New Zealand and yes, to Dean. And when I look back at it all again, I am unbelievable sorry for hurting him so much. He didn't deserved that, and I knew.
Every fairy tale has to stop one day, the mine ended up by returning back to London, which I loved, but didn't miss at all. Of course, I was looking forward meeting Ginny, Harry, all of the Weasleys' and after all, even my parents. They still couldn't forgive me breaking up with Ron, but didn't stop to love me, so I hoped that by this time they could be pretty over it. The night before leaving I was with Dean, as most of the days in the last few weeks of my stay in New Zealand. It was a bit cold already, so we took a blanket with us by which we covered when we laid down on the grass in a breathtaking place in the hills which we found out during the first trek which we did together.
The sky was clear so we could see thousands of stars shinning down at us. We were there just like that, lying in silence snuggling to each other, when he suddenly layed over me and gazed into my eyes. "You know I admiringly foolishly adore you, don't you?" I smiled and nodded. "Don't you?" I nodded again. "Say it!" "I do! I do! I do!" I shouted and my voice resonated in the hills. Than I began to laugh, untill he came closer and kissed me gently, as he has already done many times during the time we were there. But this time it was different. It was a promise, promise of loyality and faith. He loved me and I was infatuated by his honesty. The problem is that some people are perfect in their behaviour, in their soul, but still it's not enough to call it life lasting love...
When we left the place to get me to my apartment to go sleep a bit and pack my last things, I felt sad beacuse of leaving him there and going home on my own again, it was nice to be a part of someone again. He had to stay there another month but promised to return to London as soon as he was allowed. We were standing in front of the door to my apartment looking at each other and then we exchanged a few last words.
"I love you Hermione." And he really did. I knew it, just from the way he looked at me. "I love you too." I said to him and then kissed him for the second time that evening. But I didn't. If I did, I couldn't act the way I did. No, I couldn't truly love him, I am sure about it now.
London welcomed me by all the traffic noise which this horibbly beautiful city brings. "Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to move to the country." I said to myself when entered my flat.
"To where would you like to move Mione? Didn't you get enough of that so far?" There was Ginny standing in the hall in front of me and I put all my things down to hug her. She hasn't changed much, or at least it could not be revealed by the first sight. "So how is the Wedding planning?" "Don't even ask! If I knew what it would have meant, I would have probably broken up with Harry the day he proposed to me just to avoid it. We agreed on a small Wedding with family, friends and just the most helping people during the war to be invited ONLY! And we ended up having a wedding like princess Diana with prince Charles had!"
I laughed and lead my friend to the kitchen. "How did you get in?" "I still have allowed entrance to your flat as one of the few who have. I wouldn't be surprised if I was the only one. But as I look at you and think about of how often you thought of and wrote to your poor friend, I would bet there might be one more guy allowed to entry, am I right?" She grinned and I blushed a bit. How was it that every time I wanted to hide something from her she knew exactly what was going on? She was worse than my own mum!
"I did not get a single word about any men you would spend some time with there so who is it?" "Dean." I whispered hoping she could overhear it, of course she didn't! "Oh my God, so my guesses where right! I am so good at this!"
"Oh Ginny, do not fancy your self so much!" "Why shouldn't I? I am the best top secrets revealing friend in the world." I just grinned and went to make some snack.
"So how serious is it?" "I do not know, I wouldn't say very much. We are close, that's true. But I don't know how it is going to be like when he returns" I was lying, of course I hoped we would continue dating. Ginny, of course, noticed.
"You are lying! It is much more serious than you are saying, isn't it?" "Maybe..." That was the only answered I offered her and she accepted it pretty satisfied. "But let's talk about the wedding now, it's in three days already and I don't even know which dress you prepared me to wear at your wedding as your wedding witness!" "You'll love it, it's simply gorgeous." And she showed me a very beautiful dress in the 50s shape in red wine colour. "So what? Do you like it?" "It is beautiful, thank you Ginny!"
"No thanks, now you at least know that your best friend has a taste." "That's true." I smiled and went to try it if it fits me. It did and I couldn't deny this dress was simply gorgeous. "It's not the dress, Hermione, it's you!" "Oh stop it! And now it's your turn to dress up the dress you are wearing."
"I didn't take it with me but I can show you a photo." I nodded and so she put out a photo out of her pocket. She was standing in a beautiful simple white dress with a bit a lace on the sleeves and shyly smiling in the camera." "Ginny, I don't have enough words to explain how beauifuly you look but I guess Harry will do this work for me." I grinned and she pushed me a bit but smiled as well. "So what are we going to do now now?" "Well you are invited to have dinner with us in burrow. If you don't mind, of course." "Surely not, it will be lovely to meet your parents after such a long time."
"It's actually becoming busier and busier at burrow as our wedding is coming closer." Ginny said with a worry in her eyes, but when I assured her again I would be just fine in such a company she left to give me some time to unpack and get dressed and then I met her at her and Harry's house, before we went to burrow together.
"Prepared?" She asked. I nodded and so we moved to the burrow. When we entered, it was pretty busy there, as Ginny warnef. It was like the Weasleys' children have returned to Hogwarts and were supposed to pack for the school year tonight. Except Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, there was Bill with Fleur, Charlie and George. "Hello!" We said with Ginny unisono.
"Oh Hello sweethearts!" Said Mrs. Weasley and went to hug us before she showed us free chairs at the table to sit. It was a very pleasant evening, we were sitting there eating delicious dinner and I really felt like being the school girl again. "The rest of our family comes tomorrow, except Charlie and Percy who arrive in the morning on Ginny and Harry's wedding becuase of work." Mrs. Weasley explained to me. "I see." I answered with and gave her a smile. She smiled back and so we continued eating. It seemed to have a few rough days in front of us.