Snippets
Chapter Seven
Hermione arrives at Greenhouse Three with a smile stretching from ear-to-ear. She slips in quietly toward the back of the greenhouse, watching with pride as her friend prattles on happily about puffapods. His students are sitting at their tables and listening to their professor with rapt attention, not one single student seeming to notice the new arrival to the room.
Neville– Professor Longbottom, Hermione corrects herself– does eventually notice her when he looks up to check that his students haven't fallen asleep, and his smile immediately mirrors hers.
Neville sets down the puffapod he'd been holding and begins to make his way across the greenhouse toward her.
"Why, this is a treat, class," Neville states, wrapping Hermione up in his arms and squeezing her tightly. "Ms. Hermione Granger, everyone."
Neville steps back from their hug and gestures to Hermione as if introducing her to a stage while she notices a handful of eyes in the room widen in surprise. Sometimes she forgets that current Hogwarts students now learn about her and her friends in their History of Magic classes and that her picture has been in articles of the Daily Prophet and other news outlets regularly since the end of the War. Fortunately, the sheer number of those photo occurrences has diminished as the years have passed.
Hermione's cheeks flush slightly. She absolutely had not intended to interrupt his class. Herbology is an important subject and Neville's students should be permitted to learn it without distractions.
"To what do I owe this absolute pleasure, old friend?" Neville asks before remembering himself, where he is and what he is meant to be doing in this moment. "Class, for the remainder of this period, I want you all to take notes on the puffapod– distinct markings, characteristics, and so on. Work together. We're a team in this room, remember."
Hermione follows Neville over toward the back of the greenhouse where she leans her shoulder against the glass in order to stand more comfortably.
"I came by to visit the library, but I couldn't leave without stopping to see you," Hermione answers Neville's previously asked question. "How have you been?"
Admittedly, it's been a while since Hermione has seen Neville– a couple of months, she thinks. In her own defense, Neville is particularly busy now as a full-fledged professor since Professor Sprout's retirement three years ago, however, that doesn't absolve her of her guilt over not seeing one of her oldest friends enough.
"Better now," Neville smiles a lopsided smile, stuffing his hands into his trouser pockets. "Luna's just back from her trip to India this week. So, seeing my wife after three weeks without her and a visit from you– couldn't be better."
At the mention of her friend's name, Hermione thinks that it would be nice to see Luna as well. Dotty as she may sometimes be, Luna always did seem to have a sense about those around her, and despite having interesting reasons for her observations at times, she wasn't necessarily wrong in her assessments. Hermione would obviously not be taking any diagnoses from Luna Lovegood-Longbottom, however, it might be worth visiting her, if only for the reason that there's always been a rumor surrounding Luna that she has Seer blood in her.
Of course, it would also just simply be nice to reconnect with another friend whom she has neglected in the face of her condition.
Hermione arrives via floo into the sitting room of Luna Lovegood-Longbottom's Hogsmeade Village townhome, which she shares with her husband when he is able to slip away from the castle on rare evenings or weekends.
"Hello, Hermione," Luna says in that airy tone of hers, a smile on her face as she steps into the room from the kitchen, ducking beneath the vines of a hanging plant sitting on a shelf above the entryway to her kitchen. "Neville said you'd be dropping by."
Hermione smiles back at her friend and follows Luna back into her kitchen. Hermione smiles at the fuschia colored overalls which are splattered with a shocking green substance– which she is not prepared to ask about in this moment– that her friend is wearing as they just feel so very Luna. The blonde witch is also wearing a necklace appearing to be made from Butterbeer caps and what looks like a flower crown made up of flowers which Hermione doesn't recognize– perhaps from her recent India trip or from Neville's greenhouse.
Luna, as far as Hermione understands, is working as a magizoologist, researching different species and investigating different areas of the world for creatures that she's sure exist. She travels quite a lot, which seems to work out well with Neville's work at Hogwarts. If Hermione is remembering correctly, the pair are coming up on their tenth wedding anniversary, having gotten married the year following the end of the War– Hermione makes a mental note to mention this to Harry and Ron to see if perhaps they can plan a celebration for their friends. After all, ten years is a milestone and the Longbottoms deserve to be celebrated.
"Tea?" Luna asks, sending a mismatched set of a teapot, teacups and saucers over to her small dining table with a wave of her wand before taking a seat at the aforementioned table. The old wooden chair creaks as Luna gets comfortable, but Hermione finds the noise soothing. There's just something about well-loved furniture that has years' worth of memories attached that Hermione finds beautiful.
"Please, thank you," Hermione nods, following Luna's lead and taking a seat across from her friend in a similar squeaky, wooden chair.
Luna passes a blue teacup over to Hermione, which is filled with a floral smelling tea that has light pink flower petals floating on the surface. To Hermione's surprise, it smells and tastes divine. It's sweet, but light– overall, a nice blend.
"I'm sorry that I haven't been by to see you recently," Hermione apologizes, setting her teacup back down on the saucer. "I realize that I haven't been a very good friend in the past few months."
Luna smiles warmly and takes a sip from her own tea before responding.
"You don't have to apologize to me, Hermione," Luna laughs a quiet, melodic laugh which suits her perfectly. "I can tell that you have a lot on your mind."
Hermione nods, unsure of how to respond, but thankfully, she doesn't have to when Luna continues.
"It's not the wrackspurts, though," Luna tilts her head to the side as if considering an arithmancy equation. "No. It's something else entirely."
Hermione sighs, unsure if that assessment makes her feel better or worse.
"Good morning, Ms. Granger," Delilah, Hermione's assistant, smiles when Hermione arrives at her office. Delilah, as has become routine, hands Hermione a paper cup of coffee– from a cafe in Muggle London around the corner from Delilah's flat, not from the Ministry canteen– as she passes her desk. "Happy Friday Eve."
Hermione smiles, taking a quick sip of the coffee– hazelnut today. Delilah is also Muggleborn, so she, too, has an affinity for many Muggle practices or technologies– and the witch knows her coffee, much to Hermione's enjoyment.
Delilah had once explained that she had had a choir teacher in her primary school who would wish her students a 'Happy Friday Eve' on Thursday mornings, and the habit has stuck with Delilah. Hermione thinks that the sentiment is sweet– and Delilah never misses a Thursday, which just goes to show how impressive teachers and professors can be on their students.
Hermione enters her office and takes a seat at her desk, shucking off her coat and scarf once she sets her coffee down. On Hermione's desk, as usual, is a stack of case files, so she takes one more sip of her coffee before diving in and opening the first file.
The first case Hermione looks into for the day is one regarding mermaids. Evidently, some rich blowhard has bought up a chunk of land, didn't read the fine print of his contract and is now trying to evict a protected species from their habitat in order to install some sort of dam or other into the lake on his land. Hermione rolls her eyes.
Unfortunately, this is not an unusual occurrence, nor is this the first time Hermione has had to step in over a land dispute– and she is the only person in her department who speaks Mermish, so it's no wonder why this case has landed on her desk.
Hermione sets that case file aside, beginning a pile of cases which will require timely action, and moves onto the next, flicking open what appears to be a file regarding a domestic dispute between a Veela and her mate. Usually, domestics go directly to the DMLE, but when they involve a registered 'creature', they find Hermione's desk instead.
Hermione sighs, gathering up her coat and scarf again and standing from her desk. Both of these cases need tending to as soon as possible, so she decides to start with the Veela, and with any luck, she'll finish the mermaid case before five.
Hermione lets Delilah know to where she is headed before taking the lifts down to level two. According to the DRCMC playbook, Hermione must take an Auror escort to any and all meetings which involve disagreements or disputes– that is, practically all of Hermione's cases.
Hermione scans the bullpen when she arrives at the Auror offices, looking for an Auror to borrow for the day. She knows that Harry is still out on paternity leave after his daughter's birth, so he's not available. She also doesn't see Ron anywhere, nor his partner, so she assumes that they're out on a mission. Finally, after a few minutes, Hermione's eyes land on a familiar face.
"Seamus," Hermione smiles as she approaches the Irishman's desk. "Are you busy?"
Hermione leans her hips against her friend's desk as she waits for a response.
"Not too busy for you," Seamus states, rising from his chair, now of a more equal height to Hermione. "What can I do ya for, Hermione?"
Hermione explains her cases, as well as why she needs an Auror, to Seamus and he immediately agrees to accompany her. Seamus quickly jogs off to let whoever is in charge in Harry's stead know that he is leaving. When he returns, he nods, as if to let Hermione know he is cleared to go before gesturing for her to lead the way.
When the pair arrive at the home of Anna, the Veela, Hermione knocks thrice on the door, unsure exactly of what she is getting herself into.
The door swings open and reveals perhaps one of the most beautiful human-esque beings that Hermione has ever seen. Anna has long, silvery-white hair, pale skin and ice blue eyes. She's tall and slim, like a Muggle model. She's, really, quite lovely, Hermione thinks.
"Good morning, Ms. O'Rourke, my name is Hermione Granger," Hermione gestures back to Seamus briefly. "This is my colleague, Seamus Finnigan. We're here to follow up on the complaint that you've made to the Ministry."
The Veela crosses her arms over her chest, tilting her sharp nose up towards the sky with a frown.
"Mrs. O'Rourke," she corrects with a hiss before stepping aside to allow Hermione and Seamus into her home.
Hermione steps in first with Seamus close behind her. Hermione follows Anna into a small sitting room off to the right of the entryway while Seamus stands guard by the front door.
"Of course, Mrs. O'Rourke. My apologies," Hermione states, taking a seat in a wingback chair across from the sofa which Anna has just taken a seat on. "Now, tell me what's happened, please."
Anna sniffs, as if fighting off tears, as she looks off in the distance before looking back at Hermione– her eyes, in fact, brimming with unshed tears.
"My husband– my mate– has a business trip. He insists that he has to leave for nine days. Do you know what that would do to a Veela?" Anna cries, waving her arms around in exasperation.
Hermione's eyebrows raise. She does, actually, know what that would do to a Veela– and she's not exactly sure how a Veela's mate would be unaware of what the effect would be.
"How long have you been married, Mrs. O'Rourke?" Hermione asks, attempting to understand the dynamic of this couple, especially in light of the very real concern which Anna is posing.
"Almost one year," Anna responds, crossing her arms over her chest defensively.
Hermione nods.
"Have you explained to your husband what taking a mate away from a Veela would do? How much pain you would be in, how sick you could get?" Hermione wonders, her voice soft.
Anna sighs, finally allowing a single tear to slip down her cheek.
"I have tried. He does not listen."
Hermione looks back at Seamus for a moment. Evidently, this meeting is going to take longer than she had expected. Seamus nods as if he understands the words Hermione didn't say.
"Alright, Mrs. O'Rourke. Could you call your husband, please? Perhaps I can help to explain the gravity of this situation to him."
Anna nods, standing from her sofa and heading over toward the hearth behind Hermione. She kneels down in front of the fire and calls out an address, which Hermione doesn't hear.
Hermione sighs. Veela are incredibly strong, but incredibly delicate creatures. If a Veela– once they've identified their mate– were to spend more than even just a day or two away from their mate, it could cause severe damage. The Veela would grow feverish, their body would ache, they might even start to hallucinate– it could be excruciating. Veela are protective of their mates for this very reason.
Despite the severity of the situation before her, Hermione can't help but feel grateful– grateful that even in light of her own current circumstances, she can still perform her job. She can still help others, even in spite of needing help herself.
Hi, friends! Happy Saturday! Yes, today is a bonus upload. (:
I'll be honest, I'm uploading this chapter as somewhat of a test. This fic hasn't gotten as much engagement as I'd hoped, and the past two chapters have received significantly fewer views (and zero reviews) than chapters previous, as well as in comparison to my past fics. I understand that we're all busy, but I'm just wondering if perhaps y'all aren't getting notified for new chapter updates?
I just want to make sure that y'all are still enjoying this fic and that it's something you want to continue with. I'll upload the rest of it regardless, probably, because I worked so hard on it, but I'd probably deviate from my schedule more if y'all aren't that interested.
And I'm sorry if this AN is coming off in any negative way- that's not my intention. I just want to test the engagement and see if there's a problem I need to report to FFN or if there's another reason why views and reviews have been down. It also doesn't seem to be limited to this fic, at least as far as I can tell based on my notifications, so that's why I'm wondering what exactly is going on.
In any case, if you're here and you're enjoying reading this fic, please let me know, and also please let me know if, for some reason, you haven't been getting notified for chapter updates so I know that it needs to be addressed further.
As always, I hope you've enjoyed this chapter and I thank you for spending a bit of your time here with me this week. I truly appreciate you. (: And please, if you feel so inclined, please review. It would go an especially long way this week if you did. (: