Chapter 80
"Hermione, dear?" Juniper called and knocked lightly on the door. "Time to wake up, we don't want to be late."
Hermione groaned, grabbing her pillow and pulling it over her face. After a moment, the pillow came away and she exhaled heavily, staring at the ceiling, knowing she couldn't put it off. Today was the day. September first. The day she would depart for school and leave Oliver behind.
"I'm awake," she called, not having heard Juniper's footsteps, knowing the woman was still outside her door.
"All right, dear," Juniper called back, confirming her presence in the hallway. "We have a nice breakfast for you upstairs."
"Thank you," Hermione answered, sitting up and swinging her legs out of bed. She headed to the shared bathroom and looked around, making sure that she collected everything she'd had out that she didn't need every day. Picking up the toothbrush she'd left out, she used it one last time, then brushed out her hair after washing her face, packing the items in her trunk once she was done.
Deciding that she wouldn't have enough time this morning, she had soaked her ankle for the last time, just before bed, after she'd given the set of books on house elves back to Hickory, disappointed that she hadn't found any answers to the questions she had asked Cherry in them. Cherry, it turned out, was the only elf of the Wood family that she got to met during her stay, Willow was still tending to Ash in their home hidden in the wall of the mare barn.
She wished that she'd have time to visit the barn and say goodbye to the elves and the horses, but after such a long night, it didn't seem likely. Putting her brush and toothbrush into the trunk, she pulled out a comfortable pair of jeans, a freshly laundered t-shirt and a warm sweater, knowing that the train was likely to be chilly. She took her time though, dragging her feet, but inevitably, she had to go upstairs and have breakfast.
They had left the house immediately after, though it was still early. They headed to the fireplace and used the floo network, traveling to the Leaky Cauldron. Hermione looked around but didn't see anyone she recognized from school. They stayed long enough to use the facilities to clean up from using the floo before they were out on the street, trying to catch a cab.
"Oh!" Hermione heard a familiar shout as they entered Kings Cross a short time later. "There she is!"
Looking around the crowds of people moving to and fro for different platforms, Hermione spotted her parents, her mother waving at her.
"There's my mom and dad," Hermione said, pointing to the couple standing at the far end of the lobby near the platforms, the woman waving at them.
"Oh, good," Juniper said as they walked toward them. "I was hoping they'd make it early."
"Hello, Oliver," Hermione's dad said, holding out his hand to him, and Oliver shook it.
"Hello, Mr. Granger," Oliver said with a smile. "Its good to see you."
"Mom, Dad," Hermione said drawing their attention. "These are Oliver's parents, Hickory and Juniper." Hermione bit her lip, particularly at the expression on her dad's face when she introduced them, but was relieved that he didn'tactuallylaugh, but turned his amusement into a hearty welcome and she sighed in relief that he hadn't made fun of their names publicly.
"Hello," Hermione's mom said. "I'm Linda."
"Robert," her dad said, shaking Hickory's hand.
"We want to thank you for letting Hermione come and stay with us," Juniper said, shaking Hermione's mom's hand.
"She's been such a pleasure," Hickory added.
"She's welcome any time," Juniper said.
"We're glad that she enjoyed herself," Robert answered.
"I did," Hermione confirmed. "A lot."
"Well, we know you're train will be here soon," Linda said, drawing Hermione's attention. "We brought Crookshanks for you."
"Thank you," Hermione said with a smile, giving her mom a hug after her mother picked up the carrier, handing it to her.
"You're welcome, sweetheart," Robert said, drawing her into a hug also. "Truth be told, we weren't sure how to send a live animal to you if you left without him."
"I know it seems silly that we came just to give him to you," Linda said, but we should really be going. Your dad called into work, letting them know he'd be late since we were seeing you off to school. Be sure to write us though and let us know how you're doing, okay?" Her mom asked, brushing Hermione's hair around her face.
"I will, mum," Hermione said blushing.
"You'll see her too the platform?" her mom asked, turning to Hickory and Juniper questioningly.
"Of course," Juniper said with a smile. "It would be our pleasure."
"Thank you," Robert said with a greatful smile, and hugged Hermione again. "Take care, sweetheart."
"Bye, dad," Hermione murmured.
"Have a good term, dear," Linda said, giving her a hug and then squeezing her hand gently. "Let us know if you;ll be home on break, won't you?"
"I will," Hermione said. "Bye mum."
"Bye, dear," Linda said and then headed out of the station as Hermione looked on for a moment.
"Ready?" Juniper asked, noting when Mr. and Mrs. Granger had exited the station.
Hermione took a deep breath and turned to them with a nod.
There weren't many people on the platform yet when they arrived through the barrier. In fact, it was the earliest Hermione had ever arrived, and she realied that it was lined with small cafes, sweet shops and newstands. They were passing one such news stand when an the headline of theDaily Prophetgrabbed her attention, and they stopped so that she could buy one and she rolled it up and tucked it under her arm as they headed down the platform toward the Gryffindor car.
"It really was nice to have you this week, dear," Juniper said when they stopped, drawing Hermione into a hug after she'd lowered Crookshanks' carrier to the ground.
"And we meant what we said, lass," Hickory added, patting her shoulder and giving her a brief hug as well. "You're welcome any time."
"Thank you" Hermione said. "I really had a wonderful time."
"We're glad," Juniper said. "We'll have to do it again some time. Perhaps next summer?"
Hermione choked back tears and nodded.
"I'm going to miss you," she murmured. "All of you."
"We know, dear," Juniper said. "We'll miss you, too."
"School won't be the same without you," Hermione murmured, giving Oliver a hug.
Oliver hesitated a moment before wrapping his arms around her, returning her hug. "I know it will be hard," he said. "But I'm just an owl away."
"You promise?" Hermione asked, looking at him as her tears began to trickle down her cheeks.
Oliver wiped them away gently, gazing into her eyes. "I promise," he murmured. "Now I know you don't really like goodbyes," he continued. "So maybe it would be best for you to board now."
"You're not leaving are you?" Hermione asked in surprise.
"Naw, lass," Hickory said. "We'll be here till the train departs. I think Oliver's just trying to make the goodbyes easier for you, girl."
Hermione swallowed and nodded. She didn't want to leave, but she knew Oliver was right, and the platform had begun to fill up since they had been there.
"You'll want to get a good seat before they get too full," Oliver said.
"Do you see Harry anywhere?" Hermione asked, looking around.
"No," Oliver said, looking around as well. "Not yet, but I'm sure he'll appreciate it if you find a compartment and save him a space."
Hermione sighed, knowing he was right once more. "They do hate it when they can never find space," she admitted, remembering how it had been the year before. "Still, they never show up early."
Hermione hugged Oliver again he returned her hug.
"We'll take your trunk to be put on board," Hickory said, and he and Juniper headed down the platform to where the was a wizard collecting the luggage based on the houses.
"We'll be back soon," Juniper called.
Oliver sighed and looked at Hermione with along suffering, but amused look. "I think they're trying to give us some alone time," he said conspiratorially, causing her to laugh and nod. "Its good to see you smile," he said.
"You really promise to write?" Hermione asked. "I mean, you won't be too busy with practice and games?"
Oliver bent down, resting his hands gently on her shoulders as he gazed into her eyes. "I'll never be too busy for you."
Hermione hicupped and launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight hug. "I'll miss you," she murmured.
"Oh, good grief," Ron's loud voice reached her ears and she stiffened. "Can you believe this, Harry?"
"Ignore him," Oliver said when he heard the boy and glared at him as he and Harry walked by, and rubbed Hermione's back a moment until she relaxed and loosened her hold. Pulling back to look at her again, he brushed her tears away and tucked some hair behind her ear. "You'd better go get on board. Remember, you don'thaveto sit with him, you can always find Lee and the twins."
Hermione nodded and took a deep breath, picking up theDaily Prophetthat had fallen out of her grasp and landed by the carrier, tucking it under her arm as she picked up Crookshanks' carrier. Her hesitated one more time and then nodded again, knowing anything more would be a delay, so she took a deep breath and turned, heading for the train.
A short time later, Hermione made her way through the narrow corridor outside the Gryffindor compartments, looking for one with space. She found Lee and the twins, but they already had a full compartment, sitting with someone else, so she waved and pushed on, realizing just how much time she'd wasted in saying her goodbyes, as the train was already quite crowded.
Finally finding an empty one, she headed inside and put Crookshanks' carrier on the bench, opening it and letting him out where he stretched and curled up on the seat while she placed his carrier in the overhead rack. She sat down next to him, theDaily Prophetfalling into her lap as she leaned over, peering out the window to see Oliver had been joined by Juniper and Hickory. They looked through the windows, looking for her and waved when they saw her. She sniffed and waved back through a watery smile that felt completely forced, and she realized for the first time in her life, that she actually dreaded going back to school.
She stiffened as the door opened and she heard Harry and Ron enter the compartment loudly.
"Hey, Hermione," Harry greeted.
Hermione hastily hid her face, wiping her tears away.
"Are you okay?" Harry asked, curiously when Hermione didn't respond right away.
"I'm fine," she said, turning to smile at him, though it felt forced, and she turned back to the window to find Oliver and his parents were still there as promised. All too soon though, the final whistle and call for boarding was heard throughout the platform, and Hermione touched the window, watching the Woods wave once more as the train lurched and began to pull out of the station. Hermione watched them, turning in her seat until they were out of view, even moving to the opposite bench for a while, feeling Harry and Ron's curious eyes on her, but ignored them.
Sighing, she bent and picked up theDaily Prophetthat had fallen from her lap when she moved across the narrow isle, and resumed her seat next to Crookshanks and looked out the window for a time. When she got bored with watching the landscape stream by their window, she turned to the paper.
"Anything from thetrolley?" the trolley witch called as the train rumbled along on its journey toward Hogwarts. "Anything from the trolley? Anything from the trolley, dears?" she asked peering into the compartment Hermione shared with Ron and Harry. Hermione ignored her, continuing to read the paper, and not hungry after the large breakfast that she'd had with the Woods before they left for the station. She'd been relieved that they'd taken the floo network to the Leaky Cauldron and then taken a cab to the station. Spinning through the floo network was preferable to the gut wrenching feel of apparition.
"A packet of Drooble's and a licorice wand," Ron said, going to the compartment door to pay the trolley witch. "On second thought, just the Drooble's."
"It's all right," Harry said. "I'll get it. Don't worry."
"Just the Drooble's," Ron affirmed, and Hermione could tell by the tension that Ron was still sore over Harry buying everything at the World Cup.
"Two Pumpkin Pasties, please," Hermione heard a girl out in the hallway say, and then offer her thanks.
"Anything sweet for you, dear?" the trolley witch asked.
"Oh, no, I'm not hungry," Harry said. "Thank you."
"Anything from the trolley?" the witch called out, continuing passed their compartment.
"This is horrible!" Hermione said. "How can the Ministry not know who conjured it?" she asked, readingThe Daily Prophetthat wasstillrunning articles about the attack at the Quidditch World Cup. "Wasn't their any security or -"
"Loads, according to Dad," Ron said, talking to her for the first time, talking to her in a civil manner and causing her to blink at him in surprise. "That's what worried them so much," he continued, not noticing, and Hermione shook her head slightly and returned her attention to the paper. "Happened right under their noses!"
"It's hurting again, isn't it?" she asked, looking up form the paper to see Harry rubbing his forehead again. "Your scar?"
"I'm fine," Harry replied, but Hermione could tell that he was putting her off, whether because of Ron or not, she didn't know.
"You know Sirius will want to hear about this," she said, leaning closer and lowering her voice. "What you saw at the World Cupandthe dream," she emphasized knowing that he knew what she meant. She was relieved when he - though begrudgingly - took out his ink and quill set and some parchment after a few moments and began to write. She smiled slightly when he handed his letter to Hedwig and opened the window to let her out before returning to her paper.